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Retinal nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell layer changes in children who recovered from COVID-19: a cohort study
Barbara Burgos-Blasco1, Noemi Güemes-Villahoz2, Laura Morales-Fernandez2
1Departamento de Oftalmología, Hospital Clinico Universitario San Carlos, Madrid, Spain bburgos171@hotmail.com.
Insights
Children recovered from COVID-19 showed significant changes in optic nerve and macular parameters, including retinal nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell layer thickness, as detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT). These findings highlight potential long-term ocular effects in pediatric COVID-19 survivors.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- COVID-19 can affect various organ systems, including the eyes.
- Understanding the long-term ocular consequences in children post-COVID-19 is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare optic nerve and macular parameters in children with a history of COVID-19 versus healthy controls.
- To utilize optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detailed ocular tissue analysis.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 90 children (29 COVID-19 survivors, 61 controls) aged 6-18.
- Ophthalmological examinations including macular and optic nerve OCT were performed.
- Demographic, medical history, and COVID-19 symptom data were collected.
Main Results:
- COVID-19 survivors exhibited increased peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness globally and in specific sectors.
- Decreased macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness was observed in nasal outer and temporal inner sectors.
- Increased macular ganglion cell layer thickness was noted in the same sectors, with no changes in overall retinal thickness.
Conclusions:
- Children with a recent history of COVID-19 demonstrate significant alterations in peripapillary and macular OCT findings.
- These changes suggest potential neuro-visual pathway involvement following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric populations.
Objective:
To investigate the optic nerve and macular parameters of children who recovered from COVID-19 compared with healthy children using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Design:
Cohort study.
Setting:
Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid.
Patients:
Children between 6 and 18 years old who recovered from COVID-19 with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and historical controls were included.
Interventions:
All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including macular and optic nerve OCT. Demographic data, medical history and COVID-19 symptoms were noted.
Main Outcome Measures:
Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, macular retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, macular ganglion cell layer thickness and retinal thickness.
Results:
90 patients were included: 29 children who recovered from COVID-19 and 61 controls. Patients with COVID-19 presented an increase in global peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (mean difference 7.7; 95% CI 3.4 to 12.1), temporal superior (mean difference 11.0; 95% CI 3.3 to 18.6), temporal inferior (mean difference 15.6; 95% CI 6.5 to 24.7) and nasal (mean difference 9.8; 95% CI 2.9 to 16.7) sectors. Macular retinal nerve fibre layer analysis showed decreased thickness in the nasal outer (p=0.011) and temporal inner (p=0.036) sectors in patients with COVID-19, while macular ganglion cell layer thickness increased in these sectors (p=0.001 and p=0.015, respectively). No differences in retinal thickness were noted.
Conclusions:
Children with recent history of COVID-19 present significant changes in peripapillary and macular OCT analyses.
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