Purpose

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to Bruch membrane (BM) distance around geographic atrophy (GA) was measured using an optical attenuation coefficient (OAC) algorithm to determine whether this measurement could serve as a clinical biomarker to predict the annual square root enlargement rate (ER) of GA.

Design

A retrospective analysis of a prospective, observational case series.

Methods

Eyes with GA secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were imaged with swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) using a 6 × 6-mm scan pattern. GA lesions were identified and measured using customized en face OCT images, and GA annual square root ERs were calculated. At baseline, the OACs were calculated from OCT datasets to generate customized en face OAC images for GA visualization. RPE−BM distances were measured using OAC data from different subregions around the GA.

Results

A total of 38 eyes from 27 patients were included in this study. Measured RPE–BM distances were the highest in the region closest to GA. The RPE–BM distances immediately around the GA were significantly correlated with GA annual square root ERs (r = 0.595, P < .001 for a 0- to 300-µm rim around the GA). No correlations were found between RPE−BM distances and previously published choriocapillaris (CC) flow deficits in any subregions.

Conclusions

RPE−BM distances from regions around the GA significantly correlate with the annual ERs of GA. These results suggest that an abnormally thickened RPE/BM complex contributes to GA growth and that this effect is independent of CC perfusion deficits.

中文翻译：

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视网膜色素上皮的光学相干断层扫描测量地理萎缩周围的刷膜厚度与生长相关

目的

使用光学衰减系数 (OAC) 算法测量地理萎缩 (GA) 周围的视网膜色素上皮细胞 (RPE) 与布鲁赫膜 (BM) 的距离，以确定该测量值是否可以作为临床生物标志物来预测每年的平方根扩大率(ER) 的遗传算法。

设计

对前瞻性观察性病例系列的回顾性分析。

方法

继发于年龄相关性黄斑变性 (AMD) 的 GA 眼睛使用 6 × 6-mm 扫描模式通过扫描源 OCT (SS-OCT) 成像。使用定制的正面OCT 图像识别和测量 GA 病变，并计算 GA 年度平方根 ER。在基线时，OAC 是根据 OCT 数据集计算的，以生成用于GA 可视化的自定义面部OAC 图像。使用来自 GA 周围不同分区的 OAC 数据测量 RPE-BM 距离。

结果

本研究共纳入 27 名患者的 38 只眼。测量的 RPE-BM 距离在最接近 GA 的区域中最高。GA 周围的 RPE-BM 距离与 GA 年度平方根 ER 显着相关（r  = 0.595，对于 GA 周围 0 至 300 µm 的边缘，P < .001）。没有发现 RPE-BM 距离与之前公布的任何子区域脉络膜毛细血管 (CC) 流量不足之间的相关性。

结论

与 GA 周围区域的 RPE-BM 距离与 GA 的年度 ER 显着相关。这些结果表明异常增厚的 RPE/BM 复合物有助于 GA 生长，并且这种效应与 CC 灌注缺陷无关。