Título

COMPARISON OF RETINAL LAYERS THICKNESS IN EYES AFFECTED BY OPTIC NEURITIS FROM MOG-ASSOCIATED DISEASE OR NEUROMYELITIS OPTICA SPECTRUM DISORDER WITH POSITIVE ANTI-AQUAPORINE 4 ANTIBODY

Objetivo

To evaluate and compare retinal layers thickness using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients with previous optic neuritis (ON) and MOG-associated disease (MOGAD) or positive anti-aquaporine 4 (AQP4) antibody in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).

Método

77 eyes were evaluated, in 3 different groups: ON from MOGAD (ON-MOGAD, n=28), ON with positive anti-AQP4 antibody (ON-AQP4, n=18) and controls (n=31). Subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination, including standart automated perimetry (SAP) and OCT (Heidelberg Spectralis)testing, with acquisition of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(pRNFL), macula full-thickness(mFT) and retinal layers: macular-RNFL(mRNFL), Ganglion Cells(GCL), Inner Plexiform(IPL), Inner Nuclear(INL), Outer Plexiform(OPL), Outer Nuclear and Photoreceptors(PRL). Measurements were allocated according to the ETDRS grid, and the mean thickness was obtained for each layer. Data were compared using GEE models. Visual field mean sensitivity(VFMS) was calculated and Spearman correlation between OCT and VFMS were assessed.

Resultado

Compared to controls, the PRL was significantly thicker in ON-MOGAD. Yet pRNFL, mFT, mRNFL, GCL and IPL were markedly thinner than controls for both ON groups. Macular measurements in ON-MOGAD and ON-AQP4 were equivalent, except for the OPL, that was markedly thinner in the second group(Table 1). Both ON groups found substantial correlations(p<0.01) between VFMS and pRNFL, mFT, mRNFL, GCL and IPL.

Conclusão

Inner macular parameters, mFT and pRNFL were reduced in both ON-MOGAD and ON-AQP4 eyes compared to controls, but there was no significant difference between the two ON groups. However, considerable difference was found between these groups regarding the OPL, that was thinner in ON-AQP4. Hence, evaluating the external retinal layers may help differentiate between these inflammatory autoimmune etiologies, although further studies are necessary to confirm it.