Contributions
Abstract: EP1529
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - OCT
Background: Retinal layer (RL) atrophy has previously been shown to correlate with brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS), leading to increasing interest in the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a possible indirect marker of neurodegeneration in MS. MS-related cognitive impairment can occur in all stages of the disease, including earlier and more 'benign' forms. However, current data about the relationship of RL atrophy and cognition in MS patients is scarce.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between retinal layer atrophy and cognitive impairment in MS.
Methods: Sixty consecutive MS patients and 60 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled, matched by sex, age and education level. The patients were further divided according to the presence (MSON, n=21) or absence (MSNON, n=36) of previous optic neuritis. All participants were assessed with a standard neuropsychological battery for MS (MACFIMS), with cognitive impairment being defined as a defect in two or more domains; and underwent OCT scanning. Thickness measures were obtained for each individual RL.
Results: Overall, patients with MS showed a significant thinning of internal RL, including retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), ganglionar cell layer (GCL) and internal plexiform layer (IPL), compared to HC (p< 0.001 for all variables). These RL were also significantly reduced in both groups of MSNON (p=0.001 for RNFL and p< 0.001 for all other RL) and MSON (p< 0.001 for all variables) patients compared to HC. As expected, HC outperformed patients in all cognitive domains. There were no significant differences in RL thickness between MS patients with cognitive impairment (n=34; 56.7%) and those with normal cognitive performance (n=26; 43.3%). IPL thickness in MS group correlated modestly with scores for Symbol Digit Modalities Test (r=0.332 p=0.012) and Judgment of Line Orientation Test (r=0.280 p=0.035). However, no correlation was found when excluding MSON patients. No correlation between RL thickness and cognitive performance was found for all other RL or cognitive domains.
Conclusion: While there was a relationship between RL atrophy and impairment in cognitive tests dependent on visual ability in patients with previous optic neuritis, RL thickness did not globally correlate with cognitive impairment in our sample. We believe that further studies with prospective evaluation are warranted to clarify this relationship.
Disclosure: Claudia Lima: nothing to disclose
Ricardo Varela: nothing to disclose
Otilia Almeida: nothing to disclose
Carolina Alves: nothing to disclose
Rui Bernardes: nothing to disclose
Isabel Santana: nothing to disclose
Miguel Castelo Branco: nothing to disclose
Livia Sousa: nothing to disclose
Sonia Batista: nothing to disclose
Abstract: EP1529
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - OCT
Background: Retinal layer (RL) atrophy has previously been shown to correlate with brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS), leading to increasing interest in the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a possible indirect marker of neurodegeneration in MS. MS-related cognitive impairment can occur in all stages of the disease, including earlier and more 'benign' forms. However, current data about the relationship of RL atrophy and cognition in MS patients is scarce.
Aim: To investigate the relationship between retinal layer atrophy and cognitive impairment in MS.
Methods: Sixty consecutive MS patients and 60 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled, matched by sex, age and education level. The patients were further divided according to the presence (MSON, n=21) or absence (MSNON, n=36) of previous optic neuritis. All participants were assessed with a standard neuropsychological battery for MS (MACFIMS), with cognitive impairment being defined as a defect in two or more domains; and underwent OCT scanning. Thickness measures were obtained for each individual RL.
Results: Overall, patients with MS showed a significant thinning of internal RL, including retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), ganglionar cell layer (GCL) and internal plexiform layer (IPL), compared to HC (p< 0.001 for all variables). These RL were also significantly reduced in both groups of MSNON (p=0.001 for RNFL and p< 0.001 for all other RL) and MSON (p< 0.001 for all variables) patients compared to HC. As expected, HC outperformed patients in all cognitive domains. There were no significant differences in RL thickness between MS patients with cognitive impairment (n=34; 56.7%) and those with normal cognitive performance (n=26; 43.3%). IPL thickness in MS group correlated modestly with scores for Symbol Digit Modalities Test (r=0.332 p=0.012) and Judgment of Line Orientation Test (r=0.280 p=0.035). However, no correlation was found when excluding MSON patients. No correlation between RL thickness and cognitive performance was found for all other RL or cognitive domains.
Conclusion: While there was a relationship between RL atrophy and impairment in cognitive tests dependent on visual ability in patients with previous optic neuritis, RL thickness did not globally correlate with cognitive impairment in our sample. We believe that further studies with prospective evaluation are warranted to clarify this relationship.
Disclosure: Claudia Lima: nothing to disclose
Ricardo Varela: nothing to disclose
Otilia Almeida: nothing to disclose
Carolina Alves: nothing to disclose
Rui Bernardes: nothing to disclose
Isabel Santana: nothing to disclose
Miguel Castelo Branco: nothing to disclose
Livia Sousa: nothing to disclose
Sonia Batista: nothing to disclose