AUTHOR=Rube Jacob , Bross Madeline , Bernitsas Christopher , Hackett Melody , Bao Fen , Bernitsas Evanthia 

TITLE=Effect of Obesity on Retinal Integrity in African Americans and Caucasian Americans With Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.743592

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.743592

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> To study the effect of obesity on retinal structures in African Americans (AAs) and Caucasian Americans (CAs) with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).</p><p><bold>Methodology:</bold> About 136 patients with RRMS without history of optic neuritis were divided into two groups, based on body mass index (BMI): 67 obese (40 AA, 27 CA, mean BMI ± SD: 36.7 ± 5.8), and 69 non-obese (23 AA, 46 CA, mean BMI ± SD: 24.0 ± 3.1). The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness was quantified by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and was segmented into quadrant thickness: superior (S), inferior (I), temporal (T), and nasal (N). Papillomacular bundle (PMB) thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell + inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), inner nuclear (INL), outer plexiform (OPL), outer nuclear (ONL), and total macular (TMV) volumes were obtained.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Obesity was associated with lower T thickness (58.54 ± 15.2 vs. 61.9 12.4, <italic>p</italic> = 0.044), higher INL (0.98 ± 0.07 vs. 0.96 ± 0.06, <italic>p</italic> = 0.034), and lower RNFL (0.77 ± 0.14 vs. 0.82 ± 0.12, <italic>p</italic> = 0.009) volumes. Obese AA had significantly thinner T (58.54 ± 15.19 vs. 61.91 ± 12.39, <italic>p</italic> = 0.033), N (68.94 ± 2.7 vs. 77.94 ± 3.3, <italic>p</italic> = 0.044), and TMV (8.15 ± 0.07 vs. 8.52 ± 0.09, <italic>p</italic> = 0.003), RNFL (0.74 ± 0.02 vs. 0.82 ± 0.02, <italic>p</italic> = 0.013), OPL (0.76 ± 0.01 vs. 0.79 ± 0.1, <italic>p</italic> = 0.050), ONL (1.68 ± 0.031 vs. 1.79 ± 0.038, <italic>p</italic> = 0.026), and GCIPL (1.78 ± 0.04 vs. 1.9 ± 0.05, <italic>p</italic> = 0.038) compared to obese CA. Among patients with non-obesity, the ONL was significantly lower in AA (1.78 ± 0.04 vs. 1.9 ± 0.05, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001).</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Obesity is associated with retinal structure abnormalities in patients with RRMS. Its impact might be more prominent in AA than CA. Large longitudinal studies are needed to validate our findings.</p>