Retinal vascular density in multiple sclerosis: a 1-year follow-up

Eur J Neurol. 2019 Jan;26(1):198-201. doi: 10.1111/ene.13770. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Vascular pathology is increasingly acknowledged as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). Vascular density (VD) is reduced in the eyes of patients with MS on optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. We performed a 1-year prospective study to estimate VD variations over time and possible clinical correlates.

Methods: A total of 50 patients with MS underwent spectral domain-OCT and OCT angiography at baseline and after 1-year follow-up. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to assess variations of each OCT measure and its relation to treatment and clinical outcomes.

Results: We observed an increase in parafovea VD (coefficient, 1.147; 95% confidence interval, 0.081-2.214; P = 0.035). Reduction in parafovea VD was associated with increase in Expanded Disability Status Scale score (coefficient, -0.969; 95% confidence interval, -1.732/-0.207; P = 0.013).

Conclusions: Retinal VD can improve over time in MS, particularly in patients experiencing disease stability. Longer follow-up, inclusion of early MS cases and combination with conventional markers of MS severity (i.e. brain atrophy) are needed to better define VD as a potential new biomarker.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis; optical coherence tomography; parafovea; retina; vascular density.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Angiography
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Fovea Centralis / blood supply
  • Fovea Centralis / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retinal Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence