Retinal thinning correlates with clinical severity in multiple system atrophy

Area of Science:

• Neuro-ophthalmology
• Neurodegenerative Diseases
• Retinal Imaging

Background:

• Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
• Ocular changes, including retinal thinning, may serve as biomarkers for neurodegeneration in MSA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate retinal thickness alterations in patients with MSA.
• To correlate these retinal changes with MSA subtypes and clinical severity.

Main Methods:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to assess peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and perifoveal retinal thickness in 36 MSA patients and 71 controls.
• Generalized estimating equation models and correlation analyses with Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS) and Global Disability Score (GDS) were employed.

Main Results:

• MSA patients exhibited significantly reduced peripapillary RNFL thickness and perifoveal thinning compared to healthy controls.
• Retinal thinning was more pronounced in the parkinsonian subtype (MSA-P) than the cerebellar subtype (MSA-C).
• UMSARS and GDS scores negatively correlated with macular perifoveal thickness and specific RNFL sectors.

Conclusions:

• Peripapillary RNFL and perifoveal retinal thinning are characteristic findings in MSA.
• These retinal structural changes correlate with clinical disease severity, potentially reflecting the extent of neurodegeneration.