tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Ophthalmol
. 2021 Mar 15;11206721211001019.
doi: 10.1177/11206721211001019. Online ahead of print.
Optic nerve and macular optical coherence tomography in recovered COVID-19 patients
Barbara Burgos-Blasco[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Noemi G?emes-Villahoz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Beatriz Vidal-Villegas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jose Maria Martinez-de-la-Casa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Juan Donate-Lopez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Francisco Javier Mart?n-S?nchez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Juan Jorge Gonz?lez-Armengol[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jesus Porta-Etessam[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jose Luis R Martin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Julian Garcia-Feijoo[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), macular RNFLT, ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness in recovered COVID-19 patients compared to controls.
Methods: Patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 were included, while healthy patients formed the historic control group. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including macular and optic nerve optical coherence tomography. In the case group, socio-demographic data, medical history, and neurological symptoms were collected.
Results: One hundred sixty patients were included; 90 recovered COVID-19 patients and 70 controls. COVID-19 patients presented increases in global RNFLT (mean difference 4.3; CI95% 0.8 to 7.7), nasal superior (mean difference 6.9; CI95% 0.4 to 13.4), and nasal inferior (mean difference 10.2; CI95% 2.4 to 18.1) sectors of peripapillary RNFLT. Macular RNFL showed decreases in COVID-19 patients in volume (mean difference -0.05; CI95% -0.08 to -0.02), superior inner (mean difference -1.4; CI95% -2.5 to -0.4), nasal inner (mean difference -1.1; CI95% -1.8 to -0.3), and nasal outer (mean difference -4.7; CI95% -7.0 to -2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients presented increased GCL thickness in volume (mean difference 0.04; CI95% 0.01 to 0.07), superior outer (mean difference 2.1; CI95% 0.8 to 3.3), nasal outer (mean difference 2.5; CI95% 1.1 to 4.0), and inferior outer (mean difference1.2; CI95% 0.1 to 2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients with anosmia and ageusia presented an increase in peripapillary RNFLT and macular GCL compared to patients without these symptoms.
Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 may affect the optic nerve and cause changes in the retinal layers once the infection has resolved.
Keywords: COVID; coronavirus; optic nerve; optical coherence tomography.
. 2021 Mar 15;11206721211001019.
doi: 10.1177/11206721211001019. Online ahead of print.
Optic nerve and macular optical coherence tomography in recovered COVID-19 patients
Barbara Burgos-Blasco[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Noemi G?emes-Villahoz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Beatriz Vidal-Villegas[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Jose Maria Martinez-de-la-Casa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Juan Donate-Lopez[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Francisco Javier Mart?n-S?nchez[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Juan Jorge Gonz?lez-Armengol[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Jesus Porta-Etessam[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Jose Luis R Martin[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Julian Garcia-Feijoo[SUP] 5 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 33719624
- DOI: 10.1177/11206721211001019
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), macular RNFLT, ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness in recovered COVID-19 patients compared to controls.
Methods: Patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 were included, while healthy patients formed the historic control group. All patients underwent an ophthalmological examination, including macular and optic nerve optical coherence tomography. In the case group, socio-demographic data, medical history, and neurological symptoms were collected.
Results: One hundred sixty patients were included; 90 recovered COVID-19 patients and 70 controls. COVID-19 patients presented increases in global RNFLT (mean difference 4.3; CI95% 0.8 to 7.7), nasal superior (mean difference 6.9; CI95% 0.4 to 13.4), and nasal inferior (mean difference 10.2; CI95% 2.4 to 18.1) sectors of peripapillary RNFLT. Macular RNFL showed decreases in COVID-19 patients in volume (mean difference -0.05; CI95% -0.08 to -0.02), superior inner (mean difference -1.4; CI95% -2.5 to -0.4), nasal inner (mean difference -1.1; CI95% -1.8 to -0.3), and nasal outer (mean difference -4.7; CI95% -7.0 to -2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients presented increased GCL thickness in volume (mean difference 0.04; CI95% 0.01 to 0.07), superior outer (mean difference 2.1; CI95% 0.8 to 3.3), nasal outer (mean difference 2.5; CI95% 1.1 to 4.0), and inferior outer (mean difference1.2; CI95% 0.1 to 2.4) quadrants. COVID-19 patients with anosmia and ageusia presented an increase in peripapillary RNFLT and macular GCL compared to patients without these symptoms.
Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 may affect the optic nerve and cause changes in the retinal layers once the infection has resolved.
Keywords: COVID; coronavirus; optic nerve; optical coherence tomography.