Eye layers thinner in nondiabetic CKD patients

Patients with nondiabetic chronic kidney disease (NDCKD) have significantly lower centre subfield (CST), average macular (MT), and average ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thicknesses, a recent study has found. All quadrants for the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL), except for its temporal quadrant, were all likewise thinner in NDCKD patients.

Researchers conducted a comparative cross-sectional study of 132 participants, of whom 66 had NDCKDC (mean age 45.26 years, 62.12 percent men); the remaining 66 participants were set as controls (mean age 53.03 years, 40.90 percent men). Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure pRNFL, MT, CST, and GC-IPL thickness.

NDCKD patients had significantly thinner mean pRNFL thickness at the superior (110.74 vs 117.36 µm; p=0.022), nasal (65.97 vs 69.35 µm; p=006), and inferior (117.44 vs 126.15 µm; p=0.006) quadrants as compared with controls. The same was true for the overall average pRNFL thickness (90.36 vs 95.42 µm; p=0.005).

Similarly, mean CST (231.89 vs 243.30 µm; p=0.006), MT (268.88 vs 274.92 µm; p=0.02), and GC-IPL thickness (75.48 vs 81.56 µm; p=0.001) were all significantly lower in NDCKD patients than controls.

“OCT monitoring of pRNFL and macular thickness may provide non-invasive risk stratification of patients with CKD prior to visual compromise, thus allowing disease optimization prior to onset of irreversible blinding complications,” the researchers said. “In addition, the thinner pRNFL observed in NDCKD patients may complicate the interpretation of structural changes in CKD patients undergoing glaucoma evaluation.”