Optical coherence tomography angiography retinal vascular network assessment in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography is a new method to assess the density of the vascular networks. Vascular abnormalities are considered involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the presence of vascular abnormalities in MS and to evaluate their correlation to disease features.

METHODS

A total of 50 MS patients with and without history of optic neuritis (ON) and 46 healthy subjects were included. All underwent spectral domain (SD)-OCT and OCT angiography. Clinical history, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) and disease duration were collected.

RESULTS

Angio-OCT showed a vessel density reduction in eyes of MS patients when compared to controls. A statistically significant reduction in all SD-OCT and OCT angiography parameters was noticed both in eyes with and without ON when compared with control eyes. We found an inverse correlation between SD-OCT parameters and MSSS ( p = 0.003) and between vessel density parameters and EDSS ( p = 0.007).

CONCLUSION

We report a vessel density reduction in retina of MS patients. We highlight the clinical correlation between vessel density and EDSS, suggesting that angio-OCT could be a good marker of disease and of disability in MS.