Correlations Between OCTA Parameters and Clinical Changes in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neurology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The eye offers a unique window into neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS).
• Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is emerging as a tool to visualize vascular changes in MS.
• Retinal imaging may reveal early pathological processes in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between OCTA parameters and clinical features in newly diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients.
• To explore OCTA as a potential biomarker for early MS detection and progression.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 41 newly diagnosed RRMS patients.
• Comprehensive clinical assessments including neurological exams, functional tests (9-Hole Peg Test), and cognitive tests (Montreal Cognitive Assessment).
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCTA scans were performed, with multiple regression analyses to assess correlations.

Main Results:

• Reduced superficial capillary plexus (SCP) vessel density correlated with increased disease duration, higher EDSS scores, and poorer performance on the 9-Hole Peg Test.
• Increased choriocapillaris (CC) flow voids were associated with worse cognitive function (MoCA scores).
• Structural OCT parameters showed minimal correlation with clinical characteristics.

Conclusions:

• OCTA parameters correlate with physical disability, motor skills, and cognitive function in early RRMS patients.
• Retinal vascular changes detected by OCTA may indicate early neurodegeneration in MS.
• OCTA shows potential as a sensitive, non-invasive imaging biomarker for assessing early MS.