A comparative analysis of lamina Cribrosa curvature index values in different stages of diabetic retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To compare lamina cribrosa structural parameters for diabetic retinopathy and evaluate the potential use of the lamina cribrosa curvature index (LCCI) as a biomarker for progression.

METHODS

All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the optic nerve head. The following lamina cribrosa parameters were measured from high-resolution B-scan images; LCCI, lamina cribrosa curve depth (LCCD), anterior lamina cribrosa depth (ALCD), and lamina cribrosa thickness (LCT). The LCCI was calculated as the ratio of LCCD to Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) width, multiplied by 100, and was used to assess posterior bowing of the lamina cribrosa.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty eyes of 80 participants (mean age 57.3 ± 9.9 years) were analyzed. LCCI values were significantly lower in the proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) group (7.34 ± 1.85 %) compared to the diabetic patients without retinopathy (9.91 ± 3.47 %) and the control (10.13 ± 3.26 %) group. LCCD was also lower in the PDR group (122.46 ± 27.51 µm), than in the diabetic patients without retinopathy (165.8 ± 55.19 µm) and the controls (161.94 ± 46.12 µm). ALCD was lowest in the PDR group (301.7 ± 37.01 µm) and highest in the controls (365.35 ± 57.78 µm). With the exception of BMO, neither HbA1c nor duration of diabetes exhibited significant correlations with any lamina cribrosa parameters.

CONCLUSION

Despite distinct pathophysiological patterns compared to other optic neuropathies, the LCCI reveals significant progressive changes that may serve as a valuable biomarker for disease progression in diabetic retinopathy.