Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022 Nov 4:keac626. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac626. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to detect preclinical changes in SLE patients in retinal microvascularization or retinal and optical nerve structure by optical coherence tomography.
METHODS: This cross-sectional, single-center study aimed to describe structural changes (macular and retinal nerve fiber layer [RNFL] thickness) by structural spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and perifoveal vascular (vascular density [VD] and perfusion [VP] and foveal avascular zone [FAZ] structural parameters) findings by OCT-angiography (OCTA) in 78 SLE patients and 80 healthy volunteers. In addition, we analyzed their association with clinical and laboratory parameters, medications received, disease duration and SLE activity and damage.
RESULTS: Structural parameters by SD-OCT and perifoveal vascular parameters by OCTA were decreased in SLE patients compared with controls. OCTA parameters (VD, VP and FAZ circularity) and macular thickness were also decreased in patients with longer disease duration (>10 years). The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies was associated with a decreased RNFL thickness, mainly in the inferior quadrants. Patients developing antiphospholipid syndrome also showed decreased RNFL thickness and OCTA flow changes. SD-OCT and OCTA results were not associated with disease activity. Foveal structural parameters were lower in patients with higher damage score.
CONCLUSION: SD-OCT and OCTA can detect preclinical structural and microcirculatory changes in SLE patients. Structural and perifoveal vascular macular changes in SLE patients are related with disease duration. Macular structural parameters were impaired in patients with higher disease damage. Antiphospholipid syndrome seems to be associated with preclinical damage of the optic nerve and impairment of the perifoveal microvasculature.
PMID:36331348 | DOI:10.1093/rheumatology/keac626
