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Retinal damage in multiple sclerosis disease subtypes measured by high-resolution optical coherence tomography
Timm Oberwahrenbrock1, Sven Schippling, Marius Ringelstein
1NeuroCure Clinical Research Center and Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité University Medicine Berlin/Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) reveals significant retinal changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Distinct patterns of retinal nerve fibre layer thinning and macular volume reduction emerge across different MS subtypes, especially those with prior optic neuritis.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is crucial for characterizing retinal changes in multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Existing data on MS subtypes and retinal alterations is limited and sometimes contradictory.
- Spectral-domain OCT offers advanced capabilities for detailed retinal analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare retinal changes across different subtypes of MS.
- To utilize the latest spectral-domain OCT technology for precise measurements.
- To identify distinct patterns of retinal alterations specific to MS subtypes.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 414 MS patients and 94 healthy controls.
- Spectral-domain OCT examinations were conducted across three centers.
- Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and total macular volume (TMV) were measured.
Main Results:
- MS patients showed reduced RNFL thickness and TMV compared to controls, irrespective of MS subtype (P < 0.001).
- Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) eyes had lower RNFL thickness than relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) eyes (P = 0.007).
- SPMS and primary progressive MS (PPMS) eyes exhibited reduced TMV compared to RRMS eyes (P = 0.039, P = 0.005).
- Previous optic neuritis led to more pronounced RNFL thinning and TMV reduction across all subtypes.
Conclusions:
- This large-scale study confirms and generalizes previous OCT findings in MS patients.
- Distinct patterns of retinal changes are identifiable in different MS subtypes.
- Spectral-domain OCT is a valuable tool for differentiating MS subtypes based on retinal morphology.
