Retina analysis with optical coherence tomography in patients with fibromyalgia

Abstract

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the inner layers of the retina in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to healthy subjects using a posterior pole protocol analysis in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the relationship of structural measures with quality of life.MethodsSeventy‐four eyes of healthy subjects and 55 eyes of FM patients were analyzed. FM group was divided into three subgroups depending on the phenotype of the disease (group 1, biologic phenotype; group 2, depressive phenotype; group 3, atypical phenotype). All of them were evaluated using Pole Posterior protocol of OCT Spectralis, which analyzes the thickness of the macular area divided into 64 cells. The thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) were evaluated. All patients completed the EuroQol questionnaire (EQ‐5D) and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) to assess health‐related quality of life.ResultsThe FM patients presented a significant thinning of the RNFL in 17/64 cells and the GCL in 47/64 cells, compared with the control group. The depressive FM phenotype presented the highest number of cells significantly decreased compared to controls. A significant correlation was observed between the GCL and the EuroQol 5D questionnaire results in the lower temporal cells of the posterior pole grid.ConclusionsFM patients showed a loss of retinal ganglion cells and RNFL detectable by the Posterior Pole protocol of OCT. This is a safe, easy and fast test which provides very complete macular data to quantitatively and objectively assess the disease and its different phenotypes in this patients.