Macular thickening of uveitic eyes in the absence of macular oedema and epiretinal membranes

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography as an adjunctive tool for screening Behçet uveitis

Background

This study investigated the association of central macular thickness (CMT) and macular volume (MV) with severity of Behçet uveitis in the absence of macular edema (ME).

Methods

This retrospective, interventional study included a total 131 treatment-naïve Behçet patients with varying degree of uveitis in the absence of ME. The mean CMT and MV were obtained by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD ODT). The patients were classified according to the anatomical classification of Behçet uveitis. The main outcome measure was comparison of mean CMT and MV with the types of Behçet uveitis.

Results

Sixty patients (45.8%) with no uveitis, 41 patients (31.3%) with anterior uveitis, 18 patients (13.7%) with posterior uveitis, and 12 patients (9.2%) with panuveitis. The mean CMT were 261.6±22.2 μm in no uveitis, 268.1±17.8 μm in anterior uveitis, 306.4±32.9 μm in posterior uveitis, and 300.4±44.0 μm in panuveitis (P < 0.001). The mean MV was 8.7±0.3 mm³ in those without uveitis, 8.8±0.3 mm³ in anterior uveitis, 9.9±1.1 mm³ in those with posterior uveitis, and 9.7±0.4 mm³ in panuveitis (P < 0.001). Types of Behçet uveitis was the only significant factor correlated with the mean CMT (B = 18.170, β = 0.408, P < 0.001) and the mean MV (B = 0.328, β = 0.652, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The mean CMT and MV were significantly thicker in the Behçet uveitis with posterior involvement. SD OCT can be used for an adjunctive tool for screening Behçet uveitis, especially for the presence of posterior involvement.