Non-Invasive Metabolic and Structural Retinal Markers in Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica: A Cross-Sectional Study

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a potential sight-threatening disease. Although it is associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), visual loss is not common in PMR. A retinal oximeter can be used to conduct a direct, non-invasive, in vivo assessment of the vascular system. In a cross-sectional study,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Metabolites 2022-09, Vol.12 (9), p.872
Main Authors: Lowater, Simon J, Ellingsen, Torkell J, Pedersen, Jens K, Wied, Jimmi, Grauslund, Jakob, Byg, Keld-Erik
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alzheimer's disease
Arterioles
Arteritis
Biological markers
Blood pressure
Blood vessels
Cross-sectional studies
Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy
Eye
Giant cell arteritis
Health aspects
Hospitals
Inflammation
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Metabolism
Metabolites
Ophthalmology
Optics
oximetry
Oxygen
Oxygen saturation
Patients
Physiological aspects
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Retina
retinal vasculature
retinal vessel
Rheumatism
Rheumatology
Tomography
Vascular system
Vein & artery diseases
Visual impairment
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Summary:Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a potential sight-threatening disease. Although it is associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), visual loss is not common in PMR. A retinal oximeter can be used to conduct a direct, non-invasive, in vivo assessment of the vascular system. In a cross-sectional study, we measured the retinal oxygen saturation and retinal vessel calibers in GCA patients, PMR patients, and control participants. Twenty GCA patients (38 eyes), 19 PMR patients (33 eyes), and 12 controls (20 eyes) were investigated. Images were analyzed using Oxymap Analyzer software 2.5.0 (Oxymap ehf., Reykjavik, Iceland). Groups were compared using an age- and sex-adjusted linear mixed model regression. The median (IQR) age for GCA patients was 69.0 (66.5–76.5) years, for PMR 69.0 (67.0–72.0) years, and for the controls 75.5 (71.5–81.0) years, respectively. As compared to the controls (115.3 µm), the retinal arterioles were significantly wider in patients with GCA (124.4 µm; p = 0.023) and PMR (124.8 µm; p = 0.049). No difference was found in the retinal venular caliber or vascular oxygen saturation. These results indicate that GCA and PMR patients differ similarly in the retinal arteriolar diameter compared to controls. Further studies are needed in order to clarify the underlying inflammatory mechanisms in retinal arteriolar vessels and if these parameters can be used to predict clinical outcomes.
ISSN:2218-1989
2218-1989
DOI:10.3390/metabo12090872