J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2023 Nov;64(11):1055-1062. 10.3341/jkos.2023.64.11.1055.

Changes in Macular Thickness and Microvasculature in Koreans with Early Parkinson’s Disease

• Kwon LH
• Cho YW
• Kim SJ
• Chung I
• Yoo WS

• KMID: 2547869
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2023.64.11.1055

Abstract

Purpose
To investigate the thickness of the nerve fiber layer-ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (NFL-GCIPL) complex and microvascular macular changes in Korean patients with early Parkinson’s disease using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA).
Methods
Forty-three eyes of 22 patients with early Parkinson’s disease were included. A control group of 20 patients (40 eyes) was also recruited. The thickness of the NFL-GCIPL macular complex was measured using OCT, and the densities of the superficial and deep macular retinal vessels were evaluated via OCTA in all subjects.
Results
The NFL-GCIPL thicknesses of the superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal sectors were 94.70 ± 9.35, 93.32 ± 9.16, 90.18 ± 6.32, and 93.11 ± 8.75 μm in the control group and 92.05 ± 4.96, 91.32 ± 7.48, 84.74 ± 6.82, and 91.32 ± 7.47 μm in the Parkinson’s disease group, respectively; all thicknesses were significantly greater in the control group. The superficial and deep retinal vessel densities did not differ between the two groups.
Conclusions
Neurodegenerative macular changes are more obvious than microvascular changes in patients with early Parkinson’s disease. Such neurodegenerative changes should be further evaluated in future cohort studies.

Keyword

Neurodegeneration, Optical coherence tomography, Optical coherence tomography angiography, Parkinson’s disease