TY - JOUR
T1 - Retinal nerve fiber layer defects in RP patients
AU - Walia, Saloni
AU - Fishman, Gerald A.
AU - Edward, Deepak P.
AU - Lindeman, Martin
PY - 2007/10
Y1 - 2007/10
N2 - PURPOSE. TO determine, with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT), the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness among patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) of different degrees of disease severity. METHODS. One eye in each of 25 RP patients was included. All patients underwent complete ocular examination, including the measurement of intraocular pressure, corneal thickness, and detailed fundus examination. Visual fields were evaluated by Goldmann perimetry. An RNFL thickness protocol was used to acquire circular scans of 3.46 mm in diameter around the optic nerve. For each eye, RNFL thickness was studied in the temporal (316°-45°), superior (46°-135°), nasal (136°-225°), and inferior (226°-315°) quadrants. Three smaller segments were also measured within each quadrant, all automatically calculated by the existing OCT software. The severity of damage to the peripapillary nerve fiber layer was compared with the clinical appearance of the optic disc, severity of field loss, and mode of inheritance for RP. RESULTS. The mean age of patients included in the study was 48.6 years (range, 23-73 years). Of the 25 patients examined, 10 had abnormal thinning of the peripapillary RNFL in 2 or more segments, and 7 of those had abnormal thinning in at least 1 quadrant. The number of patients with abnormal thinning of the RNFL was considerably greater in those with clinically observed moderately severe or severe pallor of the optic disc than in those with normal appearance or mild pallor of the optic disc. No consistent association was noted between the remaining visual field and the presence of a RNFL defect (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. Patients with retinitis pigmentosa may have a measurable degree of RNFL thinning as determined by OCT. These observations could have an impact on future treatment strategies and imply that patients considered for various treatment options would benefit by an evaluation of nerve fiber layer thickness.
AB - PURPOSE. TO determine, with the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT), the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness among patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) of different degrees of disease severity. METHODS. One eye in each of 25 RP patients was included. All patients underwent complete ocular examination, including the measurement of intraocular pressure, corneal thickness, and detailed fundus examination. Visual fields were evaluated by Goldmann perimetry. An RNFL thickness protocol was used to acquire circular scans of 3.46 mm in diameter around the optic nerve. For each eye, RNFL thickness was studied in the temporal (316°-45°), superior (46°-135°), nasal (136°-225°), and inferior (226°-315°) quadrants. Three smaller segments were also measured within each quadrant, all automatically calculated by the existing OCT software. The severity of damage to the peripapillary nerve fiber layer was compared with the clinical appearance of the optic disc, severity of field loss, and mode of inheritance for RP. RESULTS. The mean age of patients included in the study was 48.6 years (range, 23-73 years). Of the 25 patients examined, 10 had abnormal thinning of the peripapillary RNFL in 2 or more segments, and 7 of those had abnormal thinning in at least 1 quadrant. The number of patients with abnormal thinning of the RNFL was considerably greater in those with clinically observed moderately severe or severe pallor of the optic disc than in those with normal appearance or mild pallor of the optic disc. No consistent association was noted between the remaining visual field and the presence of a RNFL defect (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. Patients with retinitis pigmentosa may have a measurable degree of RNFL thinning as determined by OCT. These observations could have an impact on future treatment strategies and imply that patients considered for various treatment options would benefit by an evaluation of nerve fiber layer thickness.
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U2 - 10.1167/iovs.07-0404
DO - 10.1167/iovs.07-0404
M3 - Article
C2 - 17898300
AN - SCOPUS:35748937355
VL - 48
SP - 4748
EP - 4752
JO - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
JF - Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
SN - 0146-0404
IS - 10
ER -