Retinal nerve fiber layer as measure for neuroaxonal loss in multiple sclerosis
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Retinal nerve fiber layer as measured by optical coherence tomography may act as a surrogate measure for neuroaxonal loss in patients with multiple sclerosis.
“There is a strong association between measures of retinal neuroaxonal loss and brain atrophy over 24 months,” Heba Altarawneh, MD, said during a presentation at the Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium. “This highlights and underpins the viability of [optical coherence tomography] OCT as a surrogate measure of neuroaxonal loss in [multiple sclerosis] MS,” Altarawneh said.
Altarawneh and colleagues measured retinal nerve fiber layer and total macular volume in 60 patients with MS and 52 age-matched healthy controls. Researchers quantified brain volumes from cranial MRI using NeuroQuaint, and neurological disability was assessed using expanded ability status scale at baseline and 24 months.
At baseline, patients with MS had a significantly lower retinal nerve fiber layer (P < .0001) and total macular volume (P = .0004) compared with patients in the control group, Altarawneh said. At follow-up, patients with MS demonstrated a significant reduction in in temporal interior retinal nerve fiber layer (P = .01) and total macular volume (P = .02).
“Retinal nerve fiber layer, which can be measured by optical coherence tomography, is emerging as a new surrogate marker for neuroaxonal loss in patients with MS,” Altarawneh said.
Collapse
Altarawneh H, et al. Retinal neuroaxonal loss is associated with progressive regional brain atrophy and disability in multiple sclerosis. Presented at: Women in Ophthalmology Summer Symposium; Aug. 26-29, 2021; Amelia Island, Florida.
Read more about
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts