Retinal OCTA for Microvascular Dysfunction Evaluation and Outcome Prediction in MINOCA Patients

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF PISA · Jul 3, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a heart condition called MINOCA, which stands for Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries. This means patients have heart attack symptoms but their large heart arteries don’t show significant blockages. The study aims to better understand small blood vessel problems by using a special eye scan called OCTA (Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography). Since the small blood vessels in the eye can reflect blood vessel health elsewhere in the body, researchers will compare eye scans from three groups: people with MINOCA, patients with more typical heart artery blockages (called Acute Coronary Syndrome or ACS), and healthy individuals without heart disease.

If you are 18 or older, you might be eligible if you have been diagnosed with MINOCA or ACS, or if you are a healthy volunteer without heart problems. Participants will need to agree to the study and be able to complete the eye scan and other imaging tests. The eye scan is quick and painless, and the study will look closely at differences in small vessel health between groups. This might help doctors better understand different causes of MINOCA and predict how patients will do over time. People with serious eye diseases, severe other health problems, or who are pregnant won’t be able to join. Overall, this study could provide new insights into heart health by looking at tiny blood vessels in the eye.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Age: Patients aged \> 18.
• Diagnosis:
• • MINOCA Group: Patients diagnosed with Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA) confirmed by coronary angiography.
• • ACS Group: Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) with significant coronary artery stenosis which are matched with MINOCA patients for gender, age, LVEF at admission and chronic kidney disease stage.
• • Healthy Controls: Age and gender-matched healthy individuals with no history of cardiovascular disease.
• • Consent: Written informed consent obtained from all participants. Feasibility: Ability to undergo OCTA and other required imaging procedures.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Ocular Conditions: Any significant ocular disease (e.g., glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration) that could interfere with OCTA imaging quality.
• • Severe Comorbidities: Presence of severe systemic diseases, such as advanced renal failure, active cancer, or severe liver disease, which might impact study participation.
• • Coronary Artery Disease or Myocarditis: For the MINOCA group, patients with coronary artery stenosis \> 50% or functionally significant (FFR \<0.8) or patients with Myocarditis detected through CMR will be excluded Pregnancy: Pregnant or breastfeeding women. Inability to Comply: Patients unable or unwilling to comply with study procedures, including follow-up visits.