%0 Journal Article
%T Retinal vascular density in multiple sclerosis: a 1-year follow-up.
%A Lanzillo R
%A Cennamo G
%A Moccia M
%A Criscuolo C
%A Carotenuto A
%A Frattaruolo N
%A Sparnelli F
%A Melenzane A
%A Lamberti A
%A Servillo G
%A Tranfa F
%A De Crecchio G
%A Brescia Morra V
%J Eur J Neurol
%V 26
%N 1
%D 01 2019
%M 30102834
%F 6.288
%R 10.1111/ene.13770
%X Vascular pathology is increasingly acknowledged as a risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). Vascular density (VD) is reduced in the eyes of patients with MS on optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography. We performed a 1-year prospective study to estimate VD variations over time and possible clinical correlates.<BR>A total of 50 patients with MS underwent spectral domain-OCT and OCT angiography at baseline and after 1-year follow-up. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to assess variations of each OCT measure and its relation to treatment and clinical outcomes.<BR>We observed an increase in parafovea VD (coefficient, 1.147; 95% confidence interval, 0.081-2.214; P = 0.035). Reduction in parafovea VD was associated with increase in Expanded Disability Status Scale score (coefficient, -0.969; 95% confidence interval, -1.732/-0.207; P = 0.013).<BR>Retinal VD can improve over time in MS, particularly in patients experiencing disease stability. Longer follow-up, inclusion of early MS cases and combination with conventional markers of MS severity (i.e. brain atrophy) are needed to better define VD as a potential new biomarker.