Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (Jun 2015)

A systematic review and meta‐analysis of retinal nerve fiber layer change in dementia, using optical coherence tomography

  • Kelsey L. Thomson,
  • Jing Ming Yeo,
  • Briony Waddell,
  • James R. Cameron,
  • Suvankar Pal

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadm.2015.03.001
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 1, no. 2
pp. 136 – 143

Abstract

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Abstract Introduction Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning, assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), has recently been reported in various dementias. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to investigate the diagnostic utility of RNFL thickness measurement using OCT in dementia (including Alzheimer's disease [AD] and mild cognitive impairment [MCI]) compared with healthy controls (HC). Results Seventeen studies comparing AD with HC (702 AD eyes and 790 HC eyes) were included, demonstrating a significant reduction in mean RNFL thickness in AD (weighted mean difference [WMD] 12.44, 95% confidence interval or CI [−16.64, −8.25], P <.0001). Five studies comparing MCI and HC (214 MCI eyes and 421 HC eyes) were included demonstrating a significant reduction in mean RNFL thickness in MCI (WMD −8.23, 95% CI [−14.00, −2.45], P =.005). No relevant studies were identified for other dementias. Discussion OCT measurement of RNFL thickness appears diagnostically useful in discriminating between AD, or MCI, and HC.

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