Evaluation of Retinal and Optic Disc Vascular Structures in Patients With Familial Mediterranean Fever (Fmf) via Optic Coherence Tomography Angiography

Abstract IntroductionFamilial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an auto-immune disease characterized by fever and serositis. With this study, we aimed at comparing the retinal vascular structures of FMF patients and healthy individuals using optic coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) device.Material and Method69 patients with FMF and 52 healthy controls who were matched by age and sex, didn’t have any comorbidities and were admitted to our clinic for routine ophthalmic examination were enrolled in the study. 69 eyes of 69 patients and 52 eyes of 52 healthy controls that were not disqualified due to the exclusion criteria were included in the study. OCTA images of the patients and controls were analyzed.ResultsThe mean age of 69 FMF patients included in the study was 39,86 ± 13,16. 24 were female and 16 were male. Total vascular density of deep capillary plexus (DCP) and vascular density of DCP parafovea of the FMF patients were found to be statistically significantly lower than those of the controls (p=0,045, p=0,034, respectively), while total retinal parafoveal thickness, total retinal perifoveal thickness, outer retinal parafoveal thickness and outer retinal perifoveal thickness were statistically significantly higher in the patient group compared with the control group (p=0,012, p=0,014, p=0,013, p=0,009, respectively).ConclusionWe think that the lower values of retinal vascular density in FMF patients compared with the control group were due to vascular injury caused by primarily inflammation and amyloidosis. Furthermore, it can also be suggested that inflammation had an impact on higher retinal thicknesses in FMF patients.