Abstract
Abstract Purpose: To compare the macular assessment and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness by using two different optical coherence tomographies (OCTs): a time domain (TD) and a spectral domain (SD) OCT, in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with and without unilateral optic neuritis (ON). Methods: We enrolled 34 patients (13 males and 21 females): 18 without previous episodes of ON and16 with a previous monolateral episode of ON occurred at least 3 months prior to examination. Patients underwent ophthalmological examination, TD OCT and SD OCT scans. We compared the outcomes of eyes with and without ON by using Student’s t test. Results: In the affected eye group a reduction of the average RNFL was found using TD OCT (reduction of 22.8%) with the difference between the two groups being statistically significant (p<0.05) in almost all the investigated retina areas. Similar results were found when eyes were analysed with SD OCT, also when the ganglion cell layer (GCC) was considered: a reduction of 18.1% of GCC average thickness was found. No significant difference was found when the outer retina was considered. Conclusions: In MS patients both OCT systems were able to detect a difference between eyes with an outcome of optic neuritis and those without optic neuritis.
Highlights
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that often leads to inexorable neurological disability
Thirty-four MS patients with average age of 39 years were recruited in our study
When the patients were analysed by spectral domain (SD)-optical coherence tomographies (OCTs), statistically significant differences were found between the two subgroups considered, both in the case where it was investigated throughout the retina in its overall thickness (Table 2)
Summary
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that often leads to inexorable neurological disability. Acute idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) is the initial clinical manifestation in 20% of patients with MS and it occurs during the course of the disease in 50% of patients [5]. Axonal loss occurs both in the retina and in the optic nerve and is widespread and diffuse. This neuronal thinning has been documented to be more consistent in ON patients between 3 and 6 months after onset. The atrophy of the optic nerve, which is part of the central nervous system, is in agreement with other findings of generalized cerebral atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
