title: A systematic review and meta-analysis of retinal nerve fiber layer change in dementia, using optical coherence tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning, assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), has recently been reported in various dementias.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the diagnostic utility of RNFL thickness measurement using OCT in dementia (including Alzheimer's disease [AD] and mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) compared with healthy controls (HC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen studies comparing AD with HC (702 AD eyes and 790 HC eyes) were included, demonstrating a significant reduction in mean RNFL thickness in AD (weighted mean difference [WMD] 12.44, 95% confidence interval or CI [-16.64, -8.25], P <.0001). Five studies comparing MCI and HC (214 MCI eyes and 421 HC eyes) were included demonstrating a significant reduction in mean RNFL thickness in MCI (WMD -8.23, 95% CI [-14.00, -2.45], P =.005). No relevant studies were identified for other dementias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OCT measurement of RNFL thickness appears diagnostically useful in discriminating between AD, or MCI, and HC.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Kelsey L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Jing Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Briony
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.affiliation: Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Suvankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pal
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Mild cognitive impairment; OCT; Optical coherence tomography; Retinal imaging