Baseline Visual Function and Inflammatory Markers in the RP PRIMARY Study

Abstract

Purpose : To analyze the association between visual function and inflammatory markers in the baseline data of prospective observational study of patients with typical retinitis pigmentosa (RP Progression and Inflammatory Marker Registry Study: The RP PRIMARY Study).

Methods : Sixty-seven patients with typical RP in Kyushu University Hospital, University of Miyazaki Hospital and Miyata Eye Hospital who agreed to participate in this study and met the inclusion criteria were included between October 2021 and October 2022. Baseline examinations included ETDRS visual acuity, Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) 10-2 program (mean deviation (MD) value and the average sensitivity of 4 and 12 central points), ellipsoid zone (EZ) length and autofluorescence (AF) ring area as visual function, and aqueous flare and blood tests (e.g. hs-CRP, white blood cell (WBC) fraction) as inflammatory markers. The correlation between visual function and inflammatory markers were analyzed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Results : The mean age of participants was 50.7 ± 11.8 years. Correlation analyses demonstrated that aqueous flare values were negatively correlated with ETDRS visual acuity (ρ=-0.30, p=0.013), EZ length (ρ=-0.26, p=0.033), AF ring area (ρ=-0.31, p=0.013), and the average sensitivity of 4 central points in HFA 10-2 (ρ=-0.32, p=0.008). There was no apparent correlation of hs-CRP or WBC fractions with visual function.

Conclusions : In the baseline data of The RP PRIMARY study, aqueous flare, an ocular inflammatory marker, was negatively associated with visual function. The association between these inflammatory markers and disease progression will be evaluated in the ongoing prospective study.

This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.