Peripapillary optical coherence tomography as an alternative to fluorescein angiography for monitoring Behcet\u2019s retinal vasculitis

Mohammad Zarei,Hamed Etesali,Hossein Pesarakli,Nazanin Ebrahimiadib,Mehdi Yaseri

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99485-5

Abstract

To study the correlation of OCT parameters including central subfield macular thickness (CSMT), peripapillary retinal thickness (PRT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (PNFLT) with fluorescein angiography (FA) in evaluation of inflammatory activity in Behcet’s retinal vasculitis. In this case-series, concurrent FA and OCT were performed. A scoring system was devised for FA. PNFLT in 3.4-mm-diameter circle as well as PRT in doughnut shaped regions between the 1-mm- and 2.2-mm-diameter and between the 2.2-mm- and 3.45-mm-diameter circles was measured. The correlation of FA and OCT parameters was analyzed. A total of 105 sets of FA from 28 eyes (15 patients) were reviewed. Four (26.6%) were female and mean age was 31.6 ± 8.49 years. Each micron increase in CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45, and PNFLT, caused a rise of 0.018 (95% CI 0.008–0.027, P < 0.001, r = 0.413), 0.053 (95% CI 0.035–0.070, P < 0.001, r = 0.443), 0.086 (95% CI 0.065–0.108, P < 0.001, r = 0.707), and 0.185 (95% CI 0.152–to 0.218, P < 0.001, r = 0.850) unit in FA score, respectively. Parameters having significant correlation with angiographic inflammatory activity, were CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45 and RNFLT. Those with the strongest correlation, PRT3.45 and PNFLT, may be considered as quantitative non-invasive alternatives to FA for monitoring Behcet’s retinal vasculitis.

Highlights

To study the correlation of OCT parameters including central subfield macular thickness (CSMT), peripapillary retinal thickness (PRT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (PNFLT) with fluorescein angiography (FA) in evaluation of inflammatory activity in Behcet’s retinal vasculitis
Considering that optic disc hyperfluorescence or leakage in FA is a common sign for intraocular inflammation, evaluation of peripapillary retinal thickness with OCT may have the potential to be used as an index for inflammatory activity
Twenty-eight eyes from 15 patients with Behcet’s disease and retinal vasculitis were included in the study

Summary

Introduction

To study the correlation of OCT parameters including central subfield macular thickness (CSMT), peripapillary retinal thickness (PRT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (PNFLT) with fluorescein angiography (FA) in evaluation of inflammatory activity in Behcet’s retinal vasculitis. Parameters having significant correlation with angiographic inflammatory activity, were CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45 and RNFLT Those with the strongest correlation, PRT3.45 and PNFLT, may be considered as quantitative non-invasive alternatives to FA for monitoring Behcet’s retinal vasculitis. We have already shown that despite normal clinical and even angiographic appearance of the optic disc, peripapillary retinal thickness is increased in Fuchs uveitis[3] Based on this background, we decided to evaluate the potential of measurement of peripapillary retinal thickness as a non-invasive alternative of FA for monitoring the inflammatory activity in Behcet’s retinal vasculitis. Type of imaging FA Macular OCT Peripapillary retinal OCT (Optic nerve head OCT) Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer OCT

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Results

Conclusion