Effects of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Macular Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness

• Published in: Current eye research 2018-04, Vol.43 (4), p.547-552
• Main Authors: Guclu, Hande, Gorgulu, Yasemın, Gurlu, Vuslat Pelitli, Kose Cinar, Rugül, Ozal, Sadik Altan, Çaliyurt, Okan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Depression - drug therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; ganglion cell complex thickness; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Macula Lutea - cytology; Macula Lutea - drug effects; Macular thickness; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Fibers - drug effects; Nerve Fibers - pathology; Optic Disk - cytology; Optic Disk - diagnostic imaging; Prospective Studies; Retinal Ganglion Cells - cytology; Retinal Ganglion Cells - drug effects; retinal nerve fiber layer thickness; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Visual Acuity; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0271-3683; 1460-2202
• DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2017.1420198

Purpose: To evaluate macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients treated with SSRIs. Methods: The present study included 62 eyes of 31 patients who were using SSRIs and 60 eyes of 30 healthy, age- and gender-matched control subjects. All patients underwent a full ophthalmological examination in which macular thickness, GCC thickness, and peripapillary RNFL thickness were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the patients' group with the age- and gender-matched control group. Pearson correlation analyses were also performed to assess the relationships between macular thickness, GCC thickness, RNFL thickness, and the duration of SSRI usage. Results: The mean duration of SSRI usage was 29.96 ± 27.19 (range 6-120) months. The foveal thickness was 253.48 ± 22.77µm in the patients' group and 266.60 ± 20.64 µm in the control group; the difference between the groups was statistically significant. In addition, the perifoveal GCC thickness in the inferonasal and inferotemporal quadrant were significantly smaller thinner in the patient group (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.021and p = 0.013, respectively). Conclusions: Our results suggest a relation between SSRIs and decreased retinal GCC thickness and RNFL thickness. Future long-term prospective studies should elucidate the actual effect of SSRIs on GCC and RNFL thickness.