Retinal pigment epithelial changes in Parkinson's disease: A spectral domain optical coherence tomography study

• Published in: Photodiagnosis and photodynamic therapy Vol. 41; p. 103213
• Main Authors: Gunay, Betul Onal, Usta, Nuray Can
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-03-2023
• Subjects: Aged; Choroidal thickness; Humans; Male; Optical coherence tomography; Parkinson Disease - diagnostic imaging; Parkinson's disease; Photochemotherapy - methods; Photosensitizing Agents; Retinal layers; Retinal Pigment Epithelium - diagnostic imaging; Retinal pigment epithelium changes; Retinal Pigments; Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods; Choroidal thickness; Parkinson's disease; Optical coherence tomography; Retinal pigment epithelium changes; Retinal layers
• ISSN: 1572-1000; 1873-1597
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2022.103213

•Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes in the macular region were observed more frequently in Parkinson's patients than in the control group.•All of the RPE changes were RPE thickening (±additional finding).•The RPE changes were associated with disease duration.
To evaluate retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and to compare choroidal thickness (CT) and retinal layers with healthy controls.
Parkinson's patients older than 18 and the age-sex match control group were included in this prospective observational study. The neurological and ophthalmological evaluation was performed. All participants were examined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Focal RPE changes were defined as local RPE changes observed in any macula scan.
Forty (24 male, mean age 69.2 years) participants were included in the study group, and 44 (24 male, mean age 68.9 years) participants in the control group. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of age and sex. All patients were using oral dopaminergic and/or non-dopaminergic therapy. The RPE changes in the macular area were observed in 14/40 PD eyes (35%) and were significantly more frequent than in the control group (2/44, 4.5%, P = 0.001). All of the RPE changes were RPE thickening (±additional finding: subretinal deposit, subRPE deposit). The logistic regression model for possible factors that may affect RPE changes revealed statistical significance in prolonging disease duration; however, age, sex, and the presence of hypertension were not significant. Inferior 3-mm RPE layer thickness was found to be thicker in PD. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of CT, retinal layers, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), except inferonasal RNFLT which was thinner in the study group.
The RPE changes are more frequent in patients with PD than in the control group in the macular area. The most frequent RPE change is the focal thickening of RPE, and RPE changes were associated with disease duration. We cannot distinguish a potential drug effect from a true potential effect of the disease in question.