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Intraretinal changes in the presence of epiretinal traction

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

To determine the correlation between the area of morphological changes on the macular surface, the depth of intraretinal changes and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

Methods

In this prospective cross-sectional study, 38 patients underwent BCVA testing with a Snellen eye chart. The depth of traction, photoreceptor outer segment layer (PROS) thickness, central macular thickness (CMT) and presence of intraretinal cysts were measured using the Avanti RTVue XR and 3D Widefield Enface OCT instruments. Enface sections were performed at the inner limiting membrane (ILM) line level (ILM offset). Patients were categorized into two groups: in group 1 (n = 21), the depth of traction was within 90 μm from the ILM, and in group 2 (n = 17) it was beyond 90 μm from the ILM. The main outcome measure was the correlation between area of epiretinal traction and BCVA according to the depth of traction.

Results

In group 1, the depth of traction was 55.15 ± 14.28 μm, the area of traction was 38.95 ± 13.63 mm2, PROS thickness was 51.20 ± 7.23 μm, and CMT was 362.65 ± 41.08 μm. In group 2, the depth of traction was 112.24 ± 10.89 μm, the area of traction was 25.18 ± 4.07 mm2, PROS thickness was 50.24 ± 9.01 μm, and mean CMT was 534.29 ± 126.81 μm. Statistically significant differences in depth of traction, area of traction and CMT were found between the two groups (P < 0.001). The relationship between structure and function between the area of traction and BCVA was better explained in group 2 (r = 0.814, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

We found that intraretinal changes were induced by the ERM, and varied according to the depth of traction measured with en face analysis. In the case of traction deeper than 90 μm, we found a significant correlation between the inner area of the epiretinal traction and BCVA. We believe that retinal stress induced by epiretinal traction is better characterized by combining information provided by sagittal and transverse OCT scans, thus defining its prognostic significance in ERM.

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Acknowledgments

The contributions of the authors were as follows: design and conduct of the study (MRR, GlC); collection (FA, DM, CC), management (FA, DM), analysis (FA, DM, MR), and interpretation of the data (MRR, FA, DM, GC); preparation (MRR, GlC), review, or approval of the manuscript (MRR, GiC); and decision to submit the manuscript for publication (MRR, GlG, GC, MR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche, University Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy

    Mario R. Romano, Gilda Cennamo, Francesca Amoroso, Daniela Montorio & Giovanni Cennamo

  2. Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, MI, Italy

    Carlo Castellani

  3. Eye Clinic, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

    Michele Reibaldi

Authors
  1. Mario R. Romano
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  2. Gilda Cennamo
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Correspondence to Mario R. Romano.

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Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements) or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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No funding was received for this research.

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Romano, M.R., Cennamo, G., Amoroso, F. et al. Intraretinal changes in the presence of epiretinal traction. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 255, 31–38 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3413-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-016-3413-z

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