Kal M, Brzdek M, Karska-Basta I, Rzymski P, Pinna A, Mackiewicz J, Odrobina D, Winiarczyk M, Zarebska-Michaluk D
Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.
Ophthalmic Clinic of the Voivodeship Hospital in Kielce, Kielce, Poland.
J Physiol Pharmacol. 2024 Oct;75(5). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2024.5.03. Epub 2024 Dec 4.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with various systemic complications, including potential impacts on ocular health. Recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may lead to changes in retinal structure, particularly in the neuroretinal and retinal nerve fiber layers (RNFL). This study aimed to examine changes in neuroretinal and RNFL of the optic dics based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 bilateral pneumonia at 2 time points after discharge. A prospective study involved 49 patients with COVID-19 bilateral pneumonia hospitalized between March and May 2021. Baseline ocular evaluations were conducted 2 months post-discharge, with follow-up examinations 6 months later. Retinal parameters, including RNFL and ganglion cell layers (GCL), were assessed. Control group of healthy individuals also underwent similar ophthalmic examinations for comparative analysis. We found that the average thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) of the optic disc was lower in the COVID-19 group than in controls (p≤0.01). The ganglion cell layer (GCL) was thicker in the inner inferior ring (p=0.008) but thinner in the outer superior, outer nasal, and outer inferior rings (p=0.044, p<0.01, and p<0.01, respectively). OCT parameters were assessed according to sex. At 6 months, the RNFL of the inner inferior and outer temporal rings was thinner in women than in men (p=0.022 and p=0.020, respectively). The GCL of the inner temporal and outer temporal rings was also thinner in women than in men (p=0.004 and p=0.005, respectively). In conclusion: at 6-month follow-up, RNFL and GCL thickness was significantly lower in some areas of the retina compared with baseline. COVID-19 seems to cause changes in the macular retina, highlighting the need for ophthalmologic screening of patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）与各种全身并发症有关，包括对眼部健康的潜在影响。最近的研究表明，COVID-19可能导致视网膜结构改变，特别是在神经视网膜和视网膜神经纤维层（RNFL）。本研究旨在通过光学相干断层扫描（OCT）检查因COVID-19双侧肺炎住院患者出院后2个时间点视神经盘神经视网膜和RNFL的变化。一项前瞻性研究纳入了2021年3月至5月期间住院的49例COVID-19双侧肺炎患者。出院后2个月进行基线眼部评估，6个月后进行随访检查。评估视网膜参数，包括RNFL和神经节细胞层（GCL）。健康个体对照组也接受了类似的眼科检查以进行对比分析。我们发现，COVID-19组视神经盘视网膜神经纤维层（RNFL）的平均厚度低于对照组（p≤0.01）。神经节细胞层（GCL）在内下环较厚（p = 0.008），但在外上环、外鼻环和外下环较薄（分别为p = 0.044、p < 0.01和p < 0.01）。根据性别评估OCT参数。在6个月时，内下环和颞外侧环的RNFL在女性中比男性薄（分别为p = 0.022和p = 0.020）。颞内侧环和颞外侧环的GCL在女性中也比男性薄（分别为p = 0.004和p = 0.005）。总之：在6个月的随访中，与基线相比，视网膜某些区域的RNFL和GCL厚度显著降低。COVID-19似乎会引起黄斑视网膜的变化，这凸显了对有SARS-CoV-2感染史患者进行眼科筛查的必要性。
