Disease-modifying therapies modulate retinal atrophy in multiple sclerosis: A retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Ophthalmology
• Immunology

Background:

• Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are crucial for managing RRMS, but their differential effects on neurodegeneration require further investigation.
• Retinal atrophy, measurable via optical coherence tomography (OCT), serves as a potential biomarker for neurodegeneration in MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if different DMTs have varying effects on the rate of retinal atrophy in RRMS patients.
• To assess the utility of OCT in monitoring neurodegenerative changes in the retina as a response to DMTs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 402 RRMS patients with at least 1 year of OCT follow-up.
• Measurement of combined ganglion cell + inner plexiform (GCIP) and other retinal layer thickness using automated macular segmentation.
• Mixed-effects linear regression used to analyze retinal thickness changes and compare effects of glatiramer acetate (GA), natalizumab (NAT), and interferon-beta-1a (IFN).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in GCIP thinning rates were observed among patients on different DMTs.
• IFN_SC and GA treatments were associated with faster GCIP thinning (0.37 μm/y and 0.14 μm/y, respectively) compared to NAT.
• GCIP thinning was notably faster in the first year of IFN_SC therapy.

Conclusions:

• DMT utilization influences the rate of GCIP atrophy in RRMS patients.
• OCT is a valuable tool for monitoring neurodegenerative treatment effects in the retina.
• OCT serves as a practical outcome measure for RRMS clinical trials.