Retinal nerve fiber layer structure abnormalities in patients with Neuro-Behcet's disease

Our aim was the evaluation of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and central macular thickness (CMT) in patients with Neuro-Behcet's disease (NBD) and to compare the results with healthy control subjects.

We recruited 50 eyes of 25 patients with NBD and 42 eyes of 21 age-matched healthy control subjects. Patients and control subjects underwent a thorough ophthalmic examination, including retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness measurements by optical coherence tomography.

No significant difference was found between groups for age, sex, intra-ocular pressure and central corneal thickness measurements. The average RNFL in patients with NBD was significantly lower than that of healthy controls (86.92 ± 18.36 μm vs. 99.74 ± 8.73 μm; p = 0.00). There was significant thinning of the RNFL in three of four quadrants of the peripapillary area, superior (107.22 ± 30.91 μm vs. 125.57 ± 20.97 μm; p = 0.00), inferior (110.36 ± 25.57 μm vs. 132.19 ± 12.71 μm; p = 0.00) and nasal (68.84 ± 18.47 μm vs. 74.98 ± 11.42 μm; p = 0.05), in patients with NBD. Average CMT was significantly lower in NBD patients than in control subjects (244.06 ± 26.25 μm vs. 261.69 ± 25.71 μm; p = 0.00).

There are significant differences in average RNFL and CMT between the two groups. RNFL and CMT thicknesses are reduced in patients with NBD compared with the healthy controls.