title: Disease-modifying therapies modulate retinal atrophy in multiple sclerosis: A retrospective study.
abstract: To retrospectively investigate whether disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) exert differential effects on rates of retinal atrophy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), as assessed using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
  
  
  
  A total of 402 patients with RRMS followed at the Johns Hopkins MS Center who underwent Cirrus-HD OCT were assessed for eligibility. Inclusion criteria included at least 1 year of OCT follow-up and adherence to a single DMT during the period of follow-up. Combined thickness of the ganglion cell + inner plexiform (GCIP) and other retinal layers was computed utilizing automated macular segmentation. Retinal thickness changes were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression.
  
  
  
  The effects of glatiramer acetate (GA; n = 48), natalizumab (NAT; n = 46), and interferon-β-1a subcutaneously (IFNSC; n = 35) and intramuscularly (IFNIM; n = 28) were assessed. Baseline analyses revealed no significant differences between groups in terms of age, sex, optic neuritis history, or follow-up duration. During follow-up, relative to NAT-treated patients, IFNSC- and GA-treated patients exhibited 0.37 μm/y (p < 0.001) and 0.14 μm/y (p = 0.035) faster rates of GCIP thinning, respectively, adjusting for the interval between initiation of DMT and OCT monitoring (gap time), age, sex, relapses, and disease duration. In the IFNSCgroup, GCIP thinning was 1.53 μm/y faster during the first year of therapy vs during the time interval afterwards (p < 0.001).
  
  
  
  Rates of GCIP atrophy in patients with RRMS vary according to DMT utilization. Our findings support OCT for monitoring neurodegenerative treatment effects in the retina, an easily accessible tissue, and as a practical outcome measure in RRMS clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Button
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Al-Louzi
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Pavan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Newsome
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frohman
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Balcer
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Elliot M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Frohman
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Calabresi
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.B., O.A.-L., P.B., S.D.N., P.A.C., S.S.) and Electrical and Computer Engineering (A.L., J.P.), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Internal Medicine (O.A.-L.), North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology (T.F., E.M.F.), University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas; and Department of Neurology (L.J.B.), New York University Langone Medical Center, New York. ssaidha2@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Shiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saidha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069442:Natalizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009929:Organ Size; D012160:Retina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069442:Natalizumab; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a