Are there any changes in posterior ocular structure parameters in pediatric migraine patients?

Using optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography to delineate neurovascular homeostasis in migraine: a review

Migraine is one of the world's most debilitating disorders, and it has recently been shown that changes in the retina can be a potential biomarker for the disease. These changes can be detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT), which measures retinal thickness, and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), which measures vessel density. We searched the databases Google Scholar, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies in English using OCT and OCTA in migraineurs, using the search terms "optical coherence tomography," "OCT," "optical coherence tomography angiography," "OCTA" and "migraine." We found 73 primary studies, 11 reviews, and 8 meta-analyses pertaining to OCT and OCTA findings in migraineurs. They showed that migraineurs had reduced retinal thickness (via OCT), retinal vessel density, and greater foveal avascular zone area (via OCTA) than controls. OCTA changes reflect a perfusion compromise occurring in migraineurs as opposed to in healthy controls. OCT and OCTA deficits were worse in migraine-with-aura and chronic migraine than in migraine-without-aura and episodic migraine. Certain areas of the eye, such as the fovea, may be more vulnerable to these perfusion changes than other parts. Direct comparison between study findings is difficult because of the heterogeneity between the studies in terms of both methodology and analysis. Moreover, as almost all case-control studies were cross-sectional, more longitudinal cohort studies are needed to determine cause and effect between migraine pathophysiology and OCT/OCTA findings. Current evidence suggests both OCT and OCTA may serve as retinal markers for migraineurs, and further research in this field will hopefully enable us to better understand the vascular changes associated with migraine, perhaps also providing a new diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker.

Assessment of the Optic Disc and Retinal Microvasculature by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Patients With Pediatric Migraine

BACKGROUND

Migraine, as a chronic neurovascular disease, is known to be a risk factor for retinal and optic nerve head damage. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the optic disc and retinal microvasculature in pediatric migraine (PM) patients using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

METHODS

Forty-six eyes of 23 patients with PM without aura (PM group) and 46 eyes of 23 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) were included in this cross-sectional prospective study. Demographic features and ophthalmological examination including OCTA measurements were evaluated. OCTA was performed with 6- × 6-mm sections for macula and 4.5- × 4.5-mm sections for optic nerve head in all eyes. Foveal retinal thickness (FRT), peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, vessel density in different sections of the retina, and optic disc were analyzed and compared between the groups. All measurements of the PM patients were taken in the attack-free period.

RESULTS

The mean ages of the PM group and control group were 11.17 ± 3.3 and 11.83 ± 2.8 years, respectively ( P = 0.479). Gender and mean intraocular pressures were similar between the groups. The mean central corneal thickness levels in the PM group were significantly lower than control group, 548.28 ± 26.3 µm and 562.04 ± 24.5 µm, respectively ( P = 0.011). There was no significant difference regarding average and all quadrant RNFL thicknesses, foveal avascular zone and flow areas, deep vessel densities, and optic disc capillary densities between the groups. However, compared with the control group, the PM group showed significant higher values of FRT, and lower values of superficial whole and parafoveal vessel densities (247.28 ± 15.8 µm vs 285.93 ± 11.1, P < 0.001, 51.85 ± 2.4% vs 50.31 ± 4.0%, P = 0.02, 55.09 ± 2.3% vs 53.5 ± 3.5%, P = 0.01, respectively). Disease duration and attacks/year did not show any significant correlations with OCTA values.

CONCLUSIONS

PM seems to be associated with lower superficial whole and parafoveal vessel densities because of hypoperfusion and ischemia. OCTA may be suggested for use in follow-up and management of PM patients.

Choroidal thickness in eyes of migraine patients measured using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography: A meta-analysis

Recent developments in high-resolution optical coherence tomography allow evaluation of even the slightest changes of choroidal thickness in various disorders, including migraine. In this review, we analyze the choroidal thickness measurements reported in various studies that compare results between migraineurs and healthy individuals. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE to identify relevant literature reporting choroidal thickness in the migraineurs' different macular regions compared with healthy controls. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was applied for the meta-analysis based on the heterogeneity level. Moreover, subgroup analyses, meta-regression, publication bias, and quality assessment were also performed. We identified ten studies involving 580 migraineurs (173 with aura, 128 without aura, and 279 without specification for the presence of aura) and 407 healthy controls to be included in this meta-analysis. Results indicated that average choroidal thickness was significantly decreased in the migraine cases (SMD, -1.28; 95% CI, -2.47 to -0.08; P = 0.04) compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, both with aura (SMD, -1.16; 95% CI, -1.39 to -0.92; P < 0.0001) and without aura migraine patients (SMD, -0.81; 95% CI, -1.28 to -0.34; P < 0.001) had significantly thinner subfoveal choroid compared to healthy controls. Moreover, subfoveal choroidal thickness in the migraineurs with aura was significantly lower than those without aura (SMD, -0.45; 95% CI, -0.84 to -0.05; P = 0.03). The alterations in choroidal thickness, suggestive of migraine's neurovascular pathophysiology, were tentatively confirmed by this study's findings. Further longitudinal studies with more diverse settings are required to derive more definitive conclusions.

Oküler biyometrik ölçümler ile pediatrik migren arasında ilişki

Amaç: Bu çalışmada pediatrik migren hastalarında biyometri ölçümlerinin ve ön segment parametrelerinin değerlendirilmesi ve sağlıklı çocuklarla karşılaştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu prospektif vaka-kontrol çalışmasına yaş ve cinsiyeti uyumlu 40 pediatrik migren hastası ve 45 sağlıklı çocuk dahil edildi. Ölçümlerden önce tüm katılımcılar tam bir oftalmolojik muayeneden geçirildi. Ön kamara derinliği (ÖKD), vitreus uzunluğu (VU), lens kalınlığı (LK), aksiyel uzunluk (AU), merkezi kornea kalınlığı (MKK), kornea hacmi (KH), ön kamara hacmi (ÖKH), iridokorneal açı (İKA), pupil çapı (PÇ) ve ortalama kornea kırıcılığı (Km) değerlendirildi. Tüm değerlendirmeler ataksız dönemde yapıldı. Fotofobisi olan ve olmayan migrenli hastalarda pupil çapı karşılaştırıldı. Diürnal varyasyondan en az oranda etkilenmek açısından göz içi basınç ölçümleri ve biyometri değerlendirmeleri günün aynı saatlerinde (10:00–12:00) yapıldı. Tüm katılımcıların sağ gözü çalışmaya dahil edildi. Bulgular: Pediatrik migren grubuyla (27 kız, 13 erkek) kontrol grubu (30 kız, 15 erkek) arasında ÖKD, VU, LK, AU, MKK, KH, ÖKH, İKA, PÇ, göz içi basıncı, sferik eşdeğer ve Km ölçümleri bakımından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı farklılık görülmedi. Migren grubu içerisinde fotofobisi olan hastalar ile olmayanların pupil çapları arasında anlamlı farklılık görülmedi. Sonuç: Pediatrik migren hastalarında biyometri, korneal topografi ve keratometri ölçümlerinde sağlıklı çocuklara göre farklılık görülmemektedir. Pediatrik migren ile oküler biyometrik ölçümler arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemek için daha geniş hasta popülasyonlu çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır.

Evaluation of retinal microvasculature and foveal avascular zone by the optical coherence tomography angiography in pediatric migraine patients

To compare the foveal avascular zone (FAZ), macular and peripapillary vessel density and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness between pediatric migraine patients and healthy subjects. A total of 108 eyes of 54 children with migraine without aura and 94 eyes of 47 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects were included. Capillary vessel density (CVD) in superficial (SCP) and deep (DCP) retinal capillary plexus, peripapillary region, FAZ, and RNFL thickness were analyzed by optical coherence tomography-angiography. The mean ages were 12.4 ± 3.3 years (range 6-18) in patients with migraine and 12.6 ± 2.9 years (range 5-18) in healthy controls (p = 0.742). The mean FAZ area measured 0.27 ± 0.09 mm² in the pediatric migraineurs and 0.26 ± 0.09 mm² in healthy controls (p = 0.53). There was no significant difference in any measurement of SCP, DCP, peripapillary CVD, and RNFL thickness between study groups (p > 0.05 for all). The pediatric migraine disability assessment test (PedMIDAS) negatively correlated with some of the CVD and RNFL measurements in pediatric migraine patients (p < 0.05). The macular and peripapillary microvasculature were not significantly different during an attack-free period in pediatric migraine patients than in healthy subjects.