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Macular sub-layer thinning and association with pulmonary function tests in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Joseph M Simonett1, Russell Huang1, Nailah Siddique2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Scientific Reports
|July 8, 2016
Summary
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) involves the anterior visual pathway, evidenced by thinner macular retinal nerve fiber layers in patients. This thinning correlates with reduced pulmonary function, suggesting a link between visual structure and respiratory health in ALS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease.
- Potential involvement of the anterior visual pathway in ALS is increasingly recognized.
- Macular structure and its relationship with disease progression require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare macular structure in ALS patients versus healthy controls using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
- To investigate correlations between macular sub-layer thickness, pulmonary function, and disease duration in ALS.
- To assess anterior visual pathway involvement in ALS through detailed retinal imaging.
Main Methods:
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) macular cube scans were acquired from ALS patients and healthy controls.
- Semi-automated retinal segmentation software quantified macular sub-layer thicknesses.
- Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and disease duration were retrospectively collected from ALS patient records.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in macular retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was observed in ALS patients compared to controls (P < 0.05).
- No significant differences in total macular thickness or other sub-layer thicknesses were found between groups.
- Macular RNFL thickness showed positive correlations with forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) % predicted (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- OCT-based macular analysis supports anterior visual pathway involvement in ALS.
- Subtle thinning of the macular RNFL is a potential structural biomarker in ALS.
- Macular RNFL thickness is associated with pulmonary function, indicating a potential link between visual and respiratory systems in ALS progression.
