Retinal neurodegeneration in patients with end-stage renal disease assessed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Sci Rep. 2020 Mar 24;10(1):5255. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61308-4.

Abstract

Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) represents a reliable tool for retinal layer volume and thickness measurement. The aim of this study was to evaluate retinal changes indicating neurodegenerative processes in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) compared to healthy controls. This was a cross-sectional, single-center study comprising 32 ESRD patients and 38 controls. Sectoral retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and retinal layer volumes were obtained by SD-OCT. Age- and gender-adjusted retinal layer volumes such as total retinal volume (p = 0.037), ganglion cell layer volume (GCL, p = 0.003), ganglion cell layer - inner plexiform layer volume (GCL-IPL, p = 0.005) and inner retinal layer volume (IRL, p = 0.042) of the right eye were lower in ESRD patients. Inner plexiform layer volume of both eyes (IPL, right eye: p = 0.017; left eye: 0.044) was reduced, as was RNFL thickness in the temporal superior sector (right eye: p = 0.016). A subgroup analysis excluding patients with diabetes revealed that GCL (p = 0.014) and GCL-IPL volume of the right eye (p = 0.024) and temporal superior sector of the RNFL scan (p = 0.021) in ESRD patients were still significantly thinner. We observed a decrease in several retinal layer volumes and temporal RNFL thickness indicative of retinal neurodegenerative processes in patients with ESRD.

Publication types

  • Observational Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / complications
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / therapy
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / complications
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / diagnostic imaging
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / pathology
  • Female
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / analysis
  • Hematocrit
  • Hemoglobins / analysis
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / complications*
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / pathology
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / therapy
  • Lipids / blood
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Fibers / ultrastructure
  • Optic Nerve / diagnostic imaging*
  • Optic Nerve / pathology
  • Renal Dialysis
  • Retina / diagnostic imaging*
  • Retina / pathology
  • Retinal Degeneration / blood
  • Retinal Degeneration / diagnostic imaging
  • Retinal Degeneration / etiology*
  • Retinal Degeneration / pathology
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells / pathology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*

Substances

  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Hemoglobins
  • Lipids