Associations between epiretinal membrane hiistology findings with clinical and optical coherence tomography findings

Abstract

Purpose : Epiretinal membranes (ERMs) are a common macular pathology. We studied the associations between ERM pathology specimens and clinical and optical coherence tomography (OCT) features.

Methods : Clinical records and OCT images of ERM surgery patients were reviewed. ERM specimens were graded on cellularity, fibrosis, pigment, and immunostaining for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and keratin.

Results : Twenty-two idiopathic and 17 secondary (11 post-RD and 6 PDR) patients were identified. Idiopathic ERMs without lamellar holes had higher cellularity (P = .025), higher alpha-smooth muscle actin staining (P = .041), and less fibrosis (P = .025), compared to other specimens. Post-RD ERMs had more pigment than other specimens (P = .010). High GFAP staining was associated with thicker OCTs (P < .001).

Conclusions : There are differences in cellular makeup of ERMs depending on the clinical presentation and OCT features. High ERM GFAP staining is associated with thicker OCTs.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.