The Usefulness of Optical Coherence Tomography in Disease Progression Monitoring in Younger Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Single-Centre Study

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the usefulness of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the detection of the neurodegenerative process in younger patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study group consisted of 61 patients with a relapsing remitting course of MS (mean age 36.4 ± 6.7 years) divided into two groups: short (≤5 years) and long (>10 years) disease duration. OCT, P300 evoked potential, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and performance subtests (Picture Completion and Digit Symbol) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were performed in all patients. Mean values of most parameters assessed in OCT (pRNFL Total, pRNFL Inferior, pRNFL Superior, pRNFL Temporalis, mRNFL, GCIPL, mRNFL+GCIPL) were significantly lower in MS patients in comparison to controls. And in patients with longer disease duration in comparison to those with shorter. Most OCT parameters negatively correlated with the EDSS score (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between OCT results and both P300 latency and the results of psychometric tests. OCT, as a simple, non-invasive, quick, and inexpensive method, could be useful for monitoring the progression of disease in MS patients.

Explainable artificial intelligence toward usable and trustworthy computer-aided diagnosis of multiple sclerosis from Optical Coherence Tomography

“…In the last decades, several studies indicate that the anterior visual pathway provides information about the dynamics of axonal degeneration in MS [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. The hypothesis is that MS may be early diagnosed and then followed up from the quantification of the axonal damage in the neuroretina [3,12].…”

Topographical Correlation between Structural and Functional Impairment of the Macular Inner Retinal Layers in Multiple Sclerosis Eyes with a History of Optic Neuropathy

“…In fact, due to the ability of this technique to investigate this specific region, over the years, the macula has been selected for understanding mechanisms of neurodegeneration in MS. In particular, the macular ganglion cells complex (GCC), obtained by the combination of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), RGCs, and inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness, is considered as an accurate and repeatable parameter for the identification of neurodegenerative effects on the macular structure in MS eyes [3,5,6].…”