Biomarkers of optical coherence tomography angiography as indicators of heart failure (literature review)

The microvascular network of the retina is unique in that it can be noninvasively and directly visualized and quantified. With the advent of optical coherence tomography-angiography (OCT-A), a new innovative research method, the interest of many scientists in studying biomarkers has increased significantly. This method allows to more accurately and effectively identify various changes in the body. The purpose of this review is to analyze current research’s on the use of OCT-A biomarkers in the context of heart failure. In this review, we described some modern studies using this method and identified the main biomarkers of cardiovascular pathology, such as: decrease in standard vascular diameter (SVD), decrease in venule diameter (DVD), foveolar avascular zone (FAZ) in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), namely their decrease, increase and correlations between each other observed in the macular and peripheral zones, which can serve as predictors of systemic disorders such as chronic heart failure. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.