Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the retinal damage of optic neuritis (ON) around macula using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography in in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) with positive AQP4-Ab seropositive.
Methods :
The thickness mapping of intra-retinal layers and the capillary density of the superficial (SRCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DRCP) around macula were measured. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by the area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AROC).
Results :
Forty- seven eyes of 27 NMOSD patients and 62 eyes of 31 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed. Of NMOSD, 21 eyes had a history of ON (NMOSD+ON) and 26 did not (NMOSD-ON). Both NMOSD-ON and NMOSD+ON eyes had reductions in ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (INL), outer plexiform layer (OPL), inner segment (IS) and outer segment (OS) of the photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer compared to HCs (all P < 0.01). NMOSD-ON and NMOSD+ON eyes also showed reduced capillary density both in SRCP and DRCPs compared to HCs (all P<0.05). The structure index (GCL+IPL+INL+OPL) combined with capillary density in SRCP achieved the highest AROC (0.999 and 0.815 for NMOSD+ON and NMOSD-ON, respectively), which was significantly higher than individual structural variables.
Conclusions :
NMOSD produces both retinal structural loss and decreased perfusion around macula in NMOSD eyes with and without history of ON. The combination of perfusion and structural measurements could help to improve the ability of detection on the retinal damage in NMOSD, which suggests that OCT and OCT angiography could provide a useful marker in early evaluation and treatment of ON in NMOSD.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.