title: A comparative optical coherence tomography study in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to find, using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), retinal imaging biomarkers differentiating neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls (HCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The population was composed of patients with NMOSD (n=23) or MS (n=110) and of HCs (n=75). Evaluation criteria were retinal thickness/volume, visual acuity, low contrast vision acuity and Expanded Disability Status Scale score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Considering all eyes and after statistical adjustments including the number of optic neuritis (ON) episodes, we found that NMOSD patients did not have significantly more retinal atrophy than MS patients; whereas MS non-optic neuritis (NON) eyes had thinner temporal (p=0.032) and temporo-superior peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL; p=0.011) thicknesses than NMOSD NON eyes; in addition, NMOSD NON eyes presented significant naso-inferior pRNFL (p=0.024), temporal pRNFL (p=0.039), macular ganglion cell complex (p=0.004) and ganglion cell layer (p=0.002) atrophy vs HC eyes. We identified significant correlations between visual and clinical disability and retinal thicknesses in both diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT may help to differentiate NMOSD and MS by focusing on the NON eyes (temporal pRNFL atrophy more severe in MS). Moreover, we discuss the possibility of a retinal degenerative process independent of ON in NMOSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lille, France olivier.outteryck@chru-lille.fr.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Outteryck
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Saint-Omer Region Hospital, France.
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Majed
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuro-ophthalmology, University of Lille, France.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Defoort-Dhellemmes
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lille, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vermersch
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Lille, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zéphir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000473:pathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; multiple sclerosis; optical coherence tomography