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Rate and associations of inner retinal thinning in eyes with retinal vein occlusion and regressed macular oedema

Eye volume 38, pages 138–144 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the associations between visual acuity (VA) and structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) features in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) eyes after cystoid macular oedema (CMO) regression and to assess whether inner retinal thinning is progressive.

Methods

Retrospective observational study of RVO eyes with regressed CMO for at least 6 months. OCT scans at CMO regression were analysed, and features were correlated with VA at that visit. The inner retinal thickness was longitudinally compared between RVO and unaffected fellow eyes (controls) with linear mixed models. The rate of inner retinal thinning was obtained as the interaction term between disease status and time. Associations between inner retinal thinning and clinical characteristics were explored.

Results

Thirty-six RVO eyes were followed for 34.2 ± 21.1 months after CMO regression. The presence of ellipsoid zone disruption (regression estimate[standard error(SE)] = 0.16[0.04] LogMAR vs. intact, p < 0.001) and lower inner retinal thickness (regression estimate[SE] = −0.25[0.12] LogMAR for 100-μm increase, p = 0.01) were associated with worse VA. The inner retinal thickness decreased faster in RVO than controls (rate of retinal thinning −0.27 ± 0.09 μm/month vs. −0.08 ± 0.11 μm/month, p = 0.01). Macular ischaemia was associated with a faster rate of retinal thinning (interaction term macular ischaemia*follow-up time, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Inner retinal and photoreceptors’ layers integrity are associated with better visual acuity once CMO resolves. RVO eyes undergo progressive inner retinal thinning after CMO regression, faster in eyes with macular ischaemia.

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Fig. 1: Clinical associations between optical coherence tomography features and visual acuity (VA) after cystoid macular oedema (CMO) regression.
Fig. 2: Clinical example of inner retinal thinning at cystoid macular oedema (CMO) regression in an eye with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
Fig. 3: Clinical example of progressive inner retinal thinning after cystoid macular oedema (CMO) regression in an eye with hemicentral inferior retinal vein occlusion (HRVO).
Fig. 4: Rate of inner retinal thinning in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and fellow healthy eyes.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study, which were used for all statistical analyses and for the creation of graphs presented in Figs. 1 and 4, as well as the original images depicted in Figs. 2 and 3, and all supplementary materials, are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Patricia Udaondo, Francesco Bandello.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy

    Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, Lamberto La Franca, Alessandro Berni, Leonardo Bottazzi & Francesco Bandello

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy

    Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, Lamberto La Franca, Alessandro Berni, Leonardo Bottazzi, Rosangela Lattanzio & Francesco Bandello

  3. Ophthalmology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera di Monza, Monza, Italy

    Alessandro Rabiolo

  4. Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, Avinguda Fernando Abril Martorell, No. 106, Valencia, Spain

    Patricia Udaondo

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All the authors contributed to the conception or design of the work, the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data, drafting the work, and revising it critically for intellectual content. Each coauthor has seen and agrees with how their name is listed.

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Correspondence to Maria Vittoria Cicinelli.

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MVC, LLF, AB, LB, AR, RL, PU: No financial disclosures. FB consultant for: Allergan Inc (Irvine, California, USA), Bayer Shering-Pharma (Berlin, Germany), Hoffmann-La-Roche (Basel, Switzerland), Novartis (Basel, Switzerland), Sanofi-Aventis (Paris, France), Thrombogenics (Heverlee, Belgium), Zeiss (Dublin, USA), Boehringer-Ingelheim, Fidia Sooft, Ntc Pharma, Sifi.

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Cicinelli, M.V., La Franca, L., Berni, A. et al. Rate and associations of inner retinal thinning in eyes with retinal vein occlusion and regressed macular oedema. Eye 38, 138–144 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02647-0

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