Determination of Neurodegeneration in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Retinal Segmentation Analysis

Purpose: To compare the thickness of each retinal layer in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) versus healthy, age-matched controls by using retinal segmentation analysis.Methods: In our cross-sectional study, 37 patients with PCOS (i.e., patient group) and 35 healthy individuals (i.e., control group) underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography imaging. Using built-in automatic retinal segmentation software to analyze the images collected, we compared the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), inner nuclear layer, outer plexiform layer, outer nuclear layer, photoreceptor layer (PRL), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), inner retinal layers, and outer retinal layers between the groups. To analyze the measurements, we used a traditional Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid.Results: In ETDRS subfields, 6-mm nasal RNFL thickness; 3- and 6-mm nasal GCL thickness; 3-mm superior and 6-mm nasal IPL thickness; 1-mm central, 3-mm nasal, superior, and inferior, and 6-mm nasal and inferior PRL thickness; and 6-mm inferior RPE thickness were significantly thinner in patients with PCOS than that of healthy controls.Conclusion: The results of our retinal segmentation analysis indicate that patients with PCOS tend to have thinner GCL, IPL, and PRL than healthy, age-matched controls due to neurodegeneration likely caused by insulin resistance, or subclinical retinal inflammation.