Retinal Sublayer Analysis in Autoimmune Retinopathy and Identification of New Optical Coherence Tomography Phenotypes

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Autoimmune retinopathy (AIR) is a poorly characterized disease with a wide phenotypic spectrum, complicating investigations of its underlying pathophysiology. We sought to analyze optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal thickness changes in AIR patients.

Methods

A retrospective chart review from 2007 to 2017 was performed evaluating AIR patients at a single academic, tertiary referral center. OCT retinal sublayer analysis was performed, and paradoxical thickening phenotypes were reviewed.

Results

Twenty-nine AIR patients with positive anti-retinal antibodies and OCT imaging were identified. Overall, AIR patients had thinner retinal sublayers compared to controls; however, 12 patients (41.4%) had paradoxical thickening of the outer plexiform layer (OPL). This revealed two distinct OCT phenotypes. No association was found between retinal sublayer thickness and specific antiretinal antibodies.

Conclusions

While the pathogenicity of antiretinal antibodies remains unclear, the OCT phenotypes observed underscore the potential for identifying clues in the underlying disease processes and clinical diagnosis.

KEYWORDS:

• AIR
• antiretinal antibodies
• autoimmune retinopathy
• OCT phenotypes
• OPL splitting

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2023.2199334.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by an NIH/NEI Center Support Grant to the University of Iowa [P30 EY025580].