Optical coherence tomography angiography indicates associations of the retinal vascular network and disease activity in multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis 2019-02, Vol.25 (2), p.224-234
• Main Authors: Feucht, Nikolaus, Maier, Mathias, Lepennetier, Gildas, Pettenkofer, Moritz, Wetzlmair, Carmen, Daltrozzo, Tanja, Scherm, Pauline, Zimmer, Claus, Hoshi, Muna-Miriam, Hemmer, Bernhard, Korn, Thomas, Knier, Benjamin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Angiography; Blood vessels; Cerebral Angiography - methods; Demyelinating Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Demyelinating Diseases - pathology; Female; Humans; Inflammatory diseases; Male; Medical imaging; Middle Aged; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - diagnostic imaging; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - pathology; Neuritis; Optic neuritis; Optic Neuritis - diagnostic imaging; Optic Neuritis - pathology; Optics; Retina; Retina - diagnostic imaging; Retina - pathology; Retinal Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Retinal Vessels - pathology; Retrospective Studies; Tomography; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/1352458517750009

Background: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) may show alterations of retinal layer architecture as measured by optical coherence tomography. Little is known about changes in the retinal vascular network during MS. Objective: To characterize retinal vessel structures in patients with MS and CIS and to test for associations with MS disease activity. Method: In all, 42 patients with MS or CIS and 50 healthy controls underwent retinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) with analysis of the superficial and deep vascular plexuses and the choriocapillaries. We tested OCT-A parameters for associations with retinal layer volumes, history of optic neuritis (ON), and the retrospective disease activity. Results: Inner retinal layer volumes correlated positively with the density of both the superficial and deep vascular plexuses. Eyes of MS/CIS patients with a history of ON revealed reduced vessel densities of the superficial and deep vascular plexuses as compared to healthy controls. Higher choriocapillary vessel densities were associated with ongoing inflammatory disease activity during 24 months prior to OCT-A examination in MS and CIS patients. Conclusion: Optic neuritis is associated with rarefaction of the superficial and deep retinal vessels. Alterations of the choriocapillaries might be linked to disease activity in MS.