Correlations Between OCTA Parameters and Clinical Changes in Patients Newly Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis

TL;DR

This study finds that retinal vascular changes measured by OCTA correlate with disability and cognitive issues in early multiple sclerosis patients.

Contribution

The study introduces OCTA as a potential early biomarker for MS by linking vascular changes to clinical outcomes.

Findings

Lower superficial capillary plexus vessel density correlates with higher disability and impaired motor function.

Higher choriocapillaris flow voids are linked to worse cognitive performance in newly diagnosed MS patients.

Structural OCT parameters showed limited correlation with clinical features compared to OCTA metrics.

Abstract

Background: The eye has shown potential as a reliable, readily accessible and clinically relevant site for investigating patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) shows promise in revealing new metabolic and vascular elements driving multiple sclerosis (MS) disease pathology. This study aimed to explore correlations between OCTA parameters and clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, forty-one newly diagnosed RRMS patients underwent comprehensive evaluations, including neurological examinations, functional and cognitive tests (9-Hole Peg Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and OCT/OCTA scans. Multiple regression analyses assessed correlations between OCT/OCTA parameters and baseline clinical characteristics. Results: Lower superficial capillary plexus (SCP) vessel density was associated with longer disease duration, higher EDSS scores (visual, pyramidal, cerebellar, ambulation), and impaired 9-Hole Peg Test performance, especially in the non-dominant hand. Higher values of choriocapillaris (CC) flow voids correlated with worse cognitive performance (MoCA). Structural OCT parameters showed limited clinical correlations. Conclusions: OCTA-derived parameters are associated with disability, fine motor function, and cognitive performance in newly diagnosed RRMS patients without prior ON. These findings suggest that retinal vascular alterations may reflect early neurodegenerative processes and provide complementary information beyond structural OCT metrics. OCTA may represent a sensitive, non-invasive imaging biomarker for patient assessment in early MS.

Figures