Abstract
Purpose :
The presence of subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) confers increased risk of the development of geographic atrophy. With the recent consensus definition of OCT-defined atrophy, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the presence of SDD in the development of iRORA and cRORA in non-exudative AMD eyes.
Methods :
Retrospective cohort of patients with intermediate dry AMD in one eye, defined as at least 1 large soft druse (≥125 μm), 5 SDDs, or 5 intermediate drusen (>67μm), with at least 5 years of follow-up were examined. SD-OCT biomarkers, including hyperreflective foci, soft drusen, refractile and cuticular drusen, SDD, subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM), iRORA, and cRORA were recorded at baseline and at year 5. Eyes with baseline cRORA were excluded. Data was analyzed using the Fisher’s exact and t test.
Results :
Inclusion criteria was met in 122 eyes (84.79±7.40 years old; Female N=79, follow-up 62.90 (±4.78) months), of which 27% (N=33) developed cRORA at 5 years. iRORA developed in 6.56% (N=8). Baseline SDD was independently associated with iRORA or cRORA development (OR=4.45; p=0.0006). In the 45 eyes with SDD at baseline, 11.11% developed iRORA (N=5) and 46.67% developed cRORA (N=21) at 5 years. In comparison, in eyes without SDD at baseline, 3.90% (N=3) developed iRORA and 15.58% (N=12) developed cRORA.[1] Age and baseline hyperreflective foci (OR=5.37) were also indendently associated with iRORA or cRORA development (both p<0.0001) while soft drusen was not (OR = 1.56; p=0.32).
Conclusions :
Subretinal drusenoid deposits is associated with greater risk of iRORA or cRORA development at 5 years in intermediate AMD eyes; about half developed cRORA by year 5. SDD may be a potential biomarker for the development of iRORA or cRORA. Further investigations are warranted.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.