Optical coherence tomography outcomes in patients with Friedreich ataxia

Abstract

PurposeTo compare the ETDRS macular thicknesses (MT), the ganglion cell complex plus inner plexiform layer thicknesses (GCC) and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses between patients with Friedreich ataxia (FA) and age‐matched healthy individuals.MethodsSeven FA patients and 19 age‐matched controls were prospectively selected. All participants underwent a neurological evaluation, a comprehensive ophthalmological assessment and imaging with spectral domain Cirrus OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Both eyes were included, left eyes were converted to a right eye format. The OCT parameters were compared between groups with the Mann‐Whitney U test. A p < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsMean age was 44.73 ± 11.9 and best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.97 ± 0.1 for the control group, while mean age was 37.85 ± 10.2 years and BCVA was 0.76 ± 0.2 for the AF group. The central macular thickness was similar in both groups, but the macular thicknesses of the inner ring of the ETDRS grid, except the temporal area, were reduced in FA ataxia compared to healthy controls. The nasal and inferior thicknesses of the outer ring were also lower in AF patients. All the GCC measurements and the RNFL thicknesses around the optic disc, except the eight clock‐hour position, were decreased in FA individuals.ConclusionsIn AF patients, the macular, GCC and RNFL thicknesses were lower than in healthy controls, presumably because of the loss of the ganglion cells. More studies are needed to evaluate the changes in the retina due to AF.