Abstract
Purpose :
To describe the OCT pattern of a ROP population with brain lesions and to correlate the severity of cerebral damage to central retinal conditions.
Macular abnormalities are often described in ROPaffected preterms but the correlation with the severity of ROP and other conditions is not understood.
Methods :
22 preterms , 44 eyes with different stages of ROP ( from September 2017 to September 2018) and evidence for brain lesions (with different grade of severity) were evaluated and imaged by Handled OCT( Bioptigen.Inc) . Imaging with handheld SDOCT (Bioptigen, Inc)1 was performed at the NICU in not -sedated infants .Mean GA was 26.5 weeks and mean BW was 892.25 grams. Mean PCA was 35.6 weeks at the time of OCT - imaging.
Central foveal thickness (CFT), nasal parafoveal inner (nIRT) and outer (nORT) and temporal parafoveal inner (tIRT) and outer retinal thicknesses (tORT) were measured. OCT abnormalities like macular edema and cystis in inner retina were recorded. Presence of nistagmus, and Visual Acuity with Teller Acuity Cards
Results :
22 babies showed some degree of brain lesions diagnosed at brain ultrasound evaluation or at MRI.
12 had stage 1-2 Intraventricular Hemorrage (IVH) , 6 had IVH STAGE 3. 4 progress to Hemorragic Hydrocephalus.Macular abnormalities were detected in 13 babies eyes 26eyes : 12 eyes had macular edema ,14 eyes had microcysts in the INL or other.Stage 3 IVH and HH showed macular edema. 18% of patients had ROP stage 3 zone 1 ,32% had ROP stage 3 zone 2.50% had ROP stage 2 zone 2.
Severity of ROP seems not to be related to brain lesions, OCT macular abnormalities seems to be better related with the severity of brain conditions
Conclusions :
OCT detection of macular abnormalities could be a useful tool to evidence the worst preterms with brain lesions Further studies with a larger number of patients is required to understand if macular edema in preterms is related to ROP or to worsening of general conditions
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.