Pilot Study on Visual Function and Fundus Autofluorescence Assessment in Diabetic Patients

Table 3

Distribution of retinal alterations observed in colour, FAF, and optimized-FAF images in diabetic patients.

Compatible signs	Image type			value	value post hoc test
	Colour	FAF	Optimized-FAF		Colour versus FAF	Colour versus optimized-FAF	FAF versus optimized-FAF
Microaneurysms
Upper temporal area	4.43 ± 3.82	28.43 ± 6.29	42.57 ± 12.98	<0.001	0.001	0.001	0.026
Lower temporal area	7.28 ± 3.95	23.43 ± 8.54	35.71 ± 11.98	0.001	0.007	0.001	0.073
Upper nasal area	1.14 ± 1.46	4.14 ± 2.27	12.14 ± 9.12	0.005	0.017	0.004	0.097
Lower nasal area	1.86 ± 2.27	9.00 ± 5.60	13.71 ± 8.48	0.007	0.026	0.002	0.318
Capillary dilation
Upper temporal area	3.43 ± 2.15	22.71 ± 5.74	19.86 ± 2.34	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.209
Lower temporal area	3.86 ± 1.86	19.86 ± 7.42	16.57 ± 3.55	0.001	0.001	0.001	0.383
Upper nasal area	0.43 ± 0.53	2.71 ± 1.70	5.00 ± 4.28	0.02	0.017	0.017	0.535
Lower nasal area	0.43 ± 0.53	4.71 ± 3.95	4.14 ± 4.06	0.01	0.004	0.017	0.805
Hemorrhages
Upper temporal area	1.14 ± 1.46	2.14 ± 2.11	2.29 ± 2.50	0.516	—	—	—
Lower temporal area	3.00 ± 1.63	2.71 ± 1.60	2.86 ± 1.95	0.914	—	—	—
Upper nasal area	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lower nasal area	0.43 ± 0.79	0.43 ± 0.79	0.43 ± 0.79	1	—	—	—
Hard exudates
Upper temporal area	1.43 ± 2.23	0.71 ± 1.50	1.14 ± 2.61	0.819	—	—	—
Lower temporal area	1.57 ± 2.93	1.28 ± 2.98	1.28 ± 2.98	0.823	—	—	—
Upper nasal area	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lower nasal area	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Kruskal-Wallis test; Mann-Whitney test; FAF: fundus autofluorescence.