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Observational Study
. 2024 Jan 1;72(Suppl 1):S11-S15.
doi: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_340_23. Epub 2023 Dec 22.

Quantitative measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and its correlation with optical coherence tomography angiography vascular biomarker changes in preclinical diabetic retinopathy

Shweta Verma  1 , Vinod Kumar Singh, Jagriti Rana, Santosh Kumar, Kamaljeet Singh, Ratnapriya Srivastava
Affiliations
Observational Study

Quantitative measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and its correlation with optical coherence tomography angiography vascular biomarker changes in preclinical diabetic retinopathy

Shweta Verma et al. Indian J Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Purpose: The present study was done to assess the use of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in detecting earlier stages of diabetic retinopathy and for the early management and effective blood glucose control in preclinical diabetic patients for preventing retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning.

Methods: A tertiary care center-based prospective observational study was conducted from the year 2021 to 2022 in the Department of Ophthalmology. The study included 50 cases and 50 controls. The parameters analyzed by using OCTA (Topcon 3D OCT-1 Maestro2) were RNFL thickness and peripapillary vessel density.

Results: We found that the RNFL thickness in the temporal and superior disc in patients with preclinical diabetic retinopathy was significantly (0.041 and 0.044, respectively) decreased. The duration of diabetes and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were the risk factors for peripapillary vessel density reduction in patients with preclinical diabetic retinopathy (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: RNFL thinning is an early sign of retinal neurodegeneration and is associated with peripapillary vessel density reduction. Early management and effective blood glucose control in diabetes patients may be beneficial for preventing RNFL thinning in superior and temporal disc.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
OCTA of optic nerve head. OCTA = optical coherence tomography angiography
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) OCT B-scan of the optic nerve head. (b) Color picture of OCT B-scan of the optic nerve. (c) RNFL thickness map. (d) RNFL four-quadrant and 12 o' clock hour map. (e) OCT angiography of the optic nerve head (inner circle showing the margin of optic disc and the area between the inner and outer circles – peripapillary area). (f) Peripapillary vessel density map. OCT = optical coherence tomography, RNFL = retinal nerve fiber layer
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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