Peripapillary optical coherence tomography as an alternative to fluorescein angiography for monitoring Behcet's retinal vasculitis

To study the correlation of OCT parameters including central subfield macular thickness (CSMT), peripapillary retinal thickness (PRT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (PNFLT) with fluorescein angiography (FA) in evaluation of inflammatory activity in Behcet's retinal vasculitis. In this case-series, concurrent FA and OCT were performed. A scoring system was devised for FA. PNFLT in 3.4-mm-diameter circle as well as PRT in doughnut shaped regions between the 1-mm- and 2.2-mm-diameter and between the 2.2-mm- and 3.45-mm-diameter circles was measured. The correlation of FA and OCT parameters was analyzed. A total of 105 sets of FA from 28 eyes (15 patients) were reviewed. Four (26.6%) were female and mean age was 31.6 +/- 8.49 years. Each micron increase in CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45, and PNFLT, caused a rise of 0.018 (95% CI 0.008-0.027, P < 0.001, r = 0.413), 0.053 (95% CI 0.035-0.070, P < 0.001, r = 0.443), 0.086 (95% CI 0.065-0.108, P < 0.001, r = 0.707), and 0.185 (95% CI 0.152-to 0.218, P < 0.001, r = 0.850) unit in FA score, respectively. Parameters having significant correlation with angiographic inflammatory activity, were CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45 and RNFLT. Those with the strongest correlation, PRT3.45 and PNFLT, may be considered as quantitative non-invasive alternatives to FA for monitoring Behcet's retinal vasculitis.

Automated summary

This study investigated the correlation of OCT parameters with fluorescein angiography in evaluating inflammatory activity in Behcet's retinal vasculitis. Results showed that parameters such as CSMT, PRT2.2, PRT3.45, and PNFLT had significant correlation with FA scores, with PRT3.45 and PNFLT showing the strongest correlation with angiographic inflammatory activity. These parameters may serve as non-invasive alternatives to FA for monitoring Behcet's retinal vasculitis.