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Lowater SJ, Ellingsen TJ, Pedersen JK, Wied J, Grauslund J, Byg KE. Non-Invasive Metabolic and Structural Retinal Markers in Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica: A Cross-Sectional Study. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12090872. [PMID: 36144276 PMCID: PMC9504005 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12090872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a potential sight-threatening disease. Although it is associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), visual loss is not common in PMR. A retinal oximeter can be used to conduct a direct, non-invasive, in vivo assessment of the vascular system. In a cross-sectional study, we measured the retinal oxygen saturation and retinal vessel calibers in GCA patients, PMR patients, and control participants. Twenty GCA patients (38 eyes), 19 PMR patients (33 eyes), and 12 controls (20 eyes) were investigated. Images were analyzed using Oxymap Analyzer software 2.5.0 (Oxymap ehf., Reykjavik, Iceland). Groups were compared using an age- and sex-adjusted linear mixed model regression. The median (IQR) age for GCA patients was 69.0 (66.5–76.5) years, for PMR 69.0 (67.0–72.0) years, and for the controls 75.5 (71.5–81.0) years, respectively. As compared to the controls (115.3 µm), the retinal arterioles were significantly wider in patients with GCA (124.4 µm; p = 0.023) and PMR (124.8 µm; p = 0.049). No difference was found in the retinal venular caliber or vascular oxygen saturation. These results indicate that GCA and PMR patients differ similarly in the retinal arteriolar diameter compared to controls. Further studies are needed in order to clarify the underlying inflammatory mechanisms in retinal arteriolar vessels and if these parameters can be used to predict clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J. Lowater
- Research Unit of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Torkell J. Ellingsen
- Research Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Jens K. Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Section, Odense University Hospital, Svendborg Sygehus, 5700 Svendborg, Denmark
| | - Jimmi Wied
- Research Unit of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Jakob Grauslund
- Research Unit of Ophthalmology, Department of Ophthalmology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
| | - Keld-Erik Byg
- Research Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
- Correspondence:
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