High diagnostic accuracy of T2FLAIR at 3 T in the detection of optic nerve head edema in acute optic neuritis.

OBJECTIVES: Optic nerve head edema (ONHE) detected by fundoscopy is observed in one-third of patients presenting optic neuritis (ON). While ONHE is an important semiological feature, the correlation between ONHE and optic nerve head MRI abnormalities (ONHMA), sometimes called "optic nerve head swelling," remains unknown. Our study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI sequence in detecting ONHE in patients with acute ON. METHODS: In the present single-center study, data were extracted from two prospective cohort studies that consecutively included adults with a first episode of acute ON treated between 2015 and 2020. Two experienced readers blinded to study data independently analyzed imaging. A senior neuroradiologist resolved any discrepancies. The primary judgment criterion of ONHMA was assessed as optic nerve head high signal intensity on gadolinium-enhanced T2FLAIR MRI sequence. Its diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with both the gold standard of ONHE on fundus photography (FP) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickening on optic coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were included, providing 110 affected and 94 unaffected optic nerves. Agreement was high between the different modalities: 92% between MRI and FP (k = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67-0.88) and 93% between MRI and OCT (k = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67-0.87). MRI sensitivity was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.70-0.93) and specificity was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89-0.97) when compared with the FP. CONCLUSION: Optic nerve head high T2FLAIR signal intensity corresponds indeed to the optic nerve head edema diagnosed by the ophthalmologists. MRI is a sensitive tool for detecting ONHE in patients presenting acute ON. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: In patients with optic neuritis the high T2FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) signal intensity of the optic nerve head corresponds indeed to optic nerve head edema, which is a useful feature in optic neuritis etiological evaluation and treatment. KEY POINTS: Optic nerve head edema is a prominent clinical feature of acute optic neuritis and is usually diagnosed during dilated or non-dilated eye fundus examination. Agreement was high between magnetic resonance imaging, fundus photography, and optical coherence tomography. Optic nerve head high T2 fluid attenuation inversion recovery signal intensity is a promising detection tool for optic nerve head edema in patients presenting acute optic neuritis.

Impact of HIV impact on outcomes of deep-brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus for Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Middle-aged persons living with HIV (PLHIV) have a heightened risk of more concomitant age-related comorbidities that are acknowledged as signs of poorer prognosis after deep-brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) at younger-than-expected ages. To assess the beneficial and adverse effects of STN-DBS in PLHIV with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: We retrospectively included nine PLHIV with PD who had sustained virological control. Patients were followed up for 7 ± 4 years. RESULTS: Patients' mean ages at PD onset and STN-DBS were 45 ± 15 and 53 ± 16 years, respectively. At STN-DBS, mean HIV infection and PD durations were 15 ± 12 and 8 ± 4 years, respectively. STN-DBS significantly improved 1-year Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)-III scores (71%), daily off-time (63%), motor fluctuations (75%) and daily levodopa-equivalent dose (68%); mean 5-year UPDRS-III score and motor fluctuation improvements remained ~45%. Impulse control disorders (affecting 6/9 patients) fully resolved after STN-DBS. Postoperative course was uneventful. No serious adverse events occurred during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that STN-DBS is a safe and effective treatment for PLHIV with PD.

Prospective longitudinal study on prognostic factors of visual recovery and structural change after a first episode of optic neuritis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to determine the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in predicting the final visual and structural outcome, and to evaluate the correlation between functional eye outcome and retinal changes, in patients with a first episode of optic neuritis (ON). METHODS: In this prospective study, consecutive adult patients with acute ON underwent ophthalmological evaluation at baseline and at 1 and 12 months, including OCT measurements of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular ganglion cell and inner plexiform layer, and inner nuclear layer thicknesses; high- and low-contrast visual acuity; visual field assessment; and baseline brain magnetic resonance imaging. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions were used to assess predictive factors of outcome. Correlations between 12-month visual function and retinal structure were estimated by Spearman coefficients. Two groups of patients were analyzed, with or without multiple sclerosis (MS). RESULTS: Among 116 patients, 79 (68.1%) had MS, and 37 (31.9%) had ON not related to MS (including 19 idiopathic [i.e., isolated] ON, and 13 and five with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and aquaporin-4 antibodies, respectively). We found no independent predictive factor of visual and retinal outcome. Analysis of the relationship between the visual field test (mean deviation) and pRNFL thickness demonstrated a threshold of 75.4 µm and 66.4 µm, below which the mean deviation was worse, for patients with MS (p = 0.007) and without MS (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found that inner retinal layer measurements during the first month are not predictive of final outcome. The critical threshold of axonal integrity, below which visual function is damaged, is different between patients with and without MS.

Visual field loss and structure-function relationships in optic neuritis associated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody.

BACKGROUND: A paradoxical discrepancy between severe peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) atrophy and good visual outcome had been reported in patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-immunoglobulin G (MOG-IgG)-associated optic neuritis (ON). However, only visual acuity (VA) was assessed. OBJECTIVES: To study visual field (VF) outcomes of patients with MOG-IgG-associated ON and evaluate the correlation between functional eye outcome and retinal structural changes assessed by optical coherence tomography. METHODS: The records of 32 patients with MOG-IgG-associated ON who underwent ophthalmological examination at least 12 months after ON onset were reviewed. Degree of VF disability was determined by mean deviation (MD). RESULTS: At final assessment (median, 35 months), 4.2% of 48 affected eyes (AE) had VA ⩽ 0.1, 40% had abnormal MD, and among AE with final VA ⩾ 1.0, 31% had mild to moderate damage. Thinning of the inner retinal layers was significantly correlated with MD impairment. Analysis demonstrated a threshold of pRNFL thickness (50 µm), below which MD was significantly worse (mean, -2.27 dB vs -17.72 dB; p = 0.0003). ON relapse was significantly associated with poor visual outcome assessed by MD. CONCLUSION: Functional impairment measured with VF is not rare, and MD assessment better reflects actual structural damage.

Vascular origin in acute transient visual disturbance: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to validate a clinical score of vascular origin in patients with acute transient visual disturbances (TVDs) without diplopia. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study in an ophthalmology emergency department and a transient ischemic attack (TIA) clinic. Patients underwent clinical evaluation including a tailored questionnaire, brain, vascular, and ophthalmologic investigations, and 3-month follow-up. TVDs were classified according to vascular or nonvascular origin by three independent experts based on all clinical, cerebrovascular, and ophthalmologic investigations, but blind to the questionnaire results. A clinical score was derived based on clinical variables independently associated with a vascular origin, and was externally validated in an independent cohort. RESULTS: An ischemic origin of TVD was found in 45% (67/149) of patients in the derivation cohort. Age and six questions were independently associated with an ischemic origin. A nine-point score (≥70 years old = 2; monocular visual loss = 2; black or white vision = 1; single episode = 1; lack of headache = 2; diffuse, constricted, altitudinal, or lateralized visual loss pattern on drawings = 1) showed good discriminative power in identifying ischemic origin (c-statistic = 0.82) and was replicated in the validation cohort (n = 130, 25% of ischemic origin, c-statistic = 0.75). With a score ≥ 4, sensitivity was 85% (95% confidence interval = 68-95) and specificity was 52% (95% confidence interval = 41-62). In both cohorts, ophthalmologic evaluation found a vascular cause in 4% and was noncontributive in 85%. After 3 months, no patients had a stroke, TIA, or retinal infarct. CONCLUSIONS: Our score may assist in predicting a vascular origin of TVD. Ophthalmologic evaluation, when not readily available, should not delay the neurovascular evaluation.

Silent Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease Is Twice as Prevalent in Middle-Aged Individuals With Well-Controlled, Combination Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Than in HIV-Uninfected Individuals.

Background: Silent cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) is defined as white matter hyperintensities, silent brain infarction, or microbleeds. CSVD is responsible for future vascular events, cognitive impairment, frailty, and shorter survival. CSVD prevalence among middle-aged people living with well-controlled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (PLHIV) is unknown. Methods: The French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis (ANRS) EP51 Microvascular Brain Retina and Kidney Study (MicroBREAK; NCT02082574) is a cross-sectional study with prospective enrollment of treated PLHIV, ≥50 years old with viral load controlled for ≥12 months, and frequency age- and sex-matched HIV-uninfected controls (HUCs). It was designed to estimate CSVD prevalence on 3T magnetic resonance imaging (3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, transversal T2-weighted gradient-echo imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging), as diagnosed by 2 blinded neuroradiologists. A logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of HIV on CSVD after adjustment for traditional risk factors. Results: Between June 2013 and May 2016, 456 PLHIV and 154 HUCs were recruited. Median age was 56 and 58 years, respectively (P = .001), among whom 84.9% and 77.3%, respectively (P = .030), were men. CSVD was detected in 51.5% of PLHIV and 36.4% of HUCs with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.3. The HIV impact differed according to age, with aOR values of 5.3, 3.7, and 1.0 for age groups <54, 54-60, and >60 years, respectively (P = .022). Older age, hypertension, and lower CD4 cell count nadir were independently associated with a higher risk of CSVD among PLHIV. Conclusions: HIV is an independent risk factor for CSVD. Despite sustained immunovirological control, the CSVD prevalence was twice as high among middle-aged PLHIV than HUCs. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02082574.

The PRAMOS Study: PRostaglandin Analogues Monotherapy-Awareness Survey on Ocular Surface Involvement.

INTRODUCTION: Even though the local tolerance of prostaglandin (PG) analogues has improved drastically since the introduction of preservative-free (PF) eye drops, prescription patterns still vary widely among practitioners and between countries and could have an impact on the ocular surface of treated patients and, in consequence, their adherence. The aim of this study is to explore the prescribing patterns of PG analogues monotherapy in France and to evaluate their impact on ocular surface status. METHODS: This was a national multicenter cross-sectional observational study that was conducted by 18 glaucoma experts in France. Patients over 18 years of age and receiving monotherapy with topical PG analogues for the treatment of ocular hypertension and/or glaucoma, with no history of prior glaucoma surgery, were consecutively selected from the glaucoma outpatient clinics of participating physicians and underwent an ocular surface examination. RESULTS: A total of 344 eyes of 344 patients were enrolled between November 2022 and November 2023. Prescribed PG monotherapy was PF in 271 (78.7%) patients. Clinical history and ocular surface evaluation indicated that 79.4% of the study population (n = 273) presented with at least one symptom or clinical sign of dry eye and that three patients out of four had an unstable tear film. Subgroup analysis comparing preserved and PF PG analogues showed a higher prevalence of conjunctival hyperemia and corneal staining in the preserved group. Multivariate analysis identified conjunctival hyperemia as consistently associated with preservative use (odds ratio = 7.654; p = 0.003 for moderate conjunctival hyperemia). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the growing trend toward PF PG analogue prescriptions by specialists in France. However, ocular surface issues remain prevalent, impacting patient adherence and treatment efficacy. Comprehensive ocular surface examinations are crucial in glaucoma management to enhance long-term tolerance, compliance, and overall treatment success.

Method to Quickly Map Multifocal Pupillary Response Fields (mPRF) Using Frequency Tagging.

We present a method for mapping multifocal Pupillary Response Fields in a short amount of time using a visual stimulus covering 40° of the visual angle divided into nine contiguous sectors simultaneously modulated in luminance at specific, incommensurate, temporal frequencies. We test this multifocal Pupillary Frequency Tagging (mPFT) approach with young healthy participants (N = 36) and show that the spectral power of the sustained pupillary response elicited by 45 s of fixation of this multipartite stimulus reflects the relative contribution of each sector/frequency to the overall pupillary response. We further analyze the phase lag for each temporal frequency as well as several global features related to pupil state. Test/retest performed on a subset of participants indicates good repeatability. We also investigate the existence of structural (RNFL)/functional (mPFT) relationships. We then summarize the results of clinical studies conducted with mPFT on patients with neuropathies and retinopathies and show that the features derived from pupillary signal analyses, the distribution of spectral power in particular, are homologous to disease characteristics and allow for sorting patients from healthy participants with excellent sensitivity and specificity. This method thus appears as a convenient, objective, and fast tool for assessing the integrity of retino-pupillary circuits as well as idiosyncrasies and permits to objectively assess and follow-up retinopathies or neuropathies in a short amount of time.

A prospective photographic study of the ocular fundus in obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of optic nerve and retinal vascular changes within the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) population are not well-known, although it has been postulated that optic nerve ischemic changes and findings related to an elevated intracranial pressure may be more common in OSA patients. We prospectively evaluated the ocular fundus in unselected patients undergoing overnight diagnostic polysomnography (PSG). METHODS: Demographic data, medical/ocular history, and nonmydriatic fundus photographs were prospectively collected in patients undergoing PSG at our institution and reviewed for the presence of optic disc edema for which our study was appropriately powered a priori. Retinal vascular changes were also evaluated. OSA was defined using the measures of both sleep-disordered breathing and hypoxia. RESULTS: Of 250 patients evaluated in the sleep center, fundus photographs were performed on 215 patients, among whom 127 patients (59%) had an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 events per hour, including 36 with severe OSA. Those with AHI <15 served as the comparison group. None of the patients had optic disc edema (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0%-3%). There was no difference in rates of glaucomatous appearance or pallor of the optic disc among the groups. Retinal arteriolar changes were more common in severe OSA patients (odds ratio: 1.09 per 5 unit increase in AHI; 95% CI, 1.02-1.16; P = 0.01), even after controlling for mean arterial blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find an increased prevalence of optic disc edema or other optic neuropathies in our OSA population. However, retinal vascular changes were more common in patients with severe OSA, independent of blood pressure.

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness/Minimum Rim Width Ratio Differentiates Glaucoma From Other Optic Neuropathies.

PRCIS: Global peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (pRNFL)/Bruch membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) ratio is an objective and effective parameter to separate glaucomatous optic neuropathies (GONs) from nonGONs (NGONs). PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic capability of the pRNFL/ BMO-MRW ratio to differentiate GONs from NGONs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with an optic neuropathy (ON), visual loss for>6 months and a confirmed single etiology. pRNFL thickness and BMO-MRW were measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). The diagnostic accuracies of pRNFL, BMO-MRW and the global pRNFL/BMO-MRW ratio were evaluated with the areas under receiver operating characteristics curves. RESULTS: One eye each from 171 patients was investigated: 50 primary open angle glaucomas, 15 normal pressure glaucomas, 50 optic neuritises, 15 nonarteritic anterior ischemic ONs, 24 compressive ONs, 10 dominant optic atrophies, and 7 nutritional ONs. The global pRNFL/BMO-MRW ratio had the highest area under receiver operating characteristics curve [0.97 vs. 0.92; P =0.01]. It was able to distinguish between GONs and NGONs with a cutoff value of 0.34. Increased mean deviation of the visual field-defect severity was associated with a higher ratio for GONs and a lower ratio for NGONs. CONCLUSION: Compared with NGONs and for the same degree of pRNFL thinning, lower BMO- MRW was found to be a specific marker of glaucoma, reflecting the neuroglial architecture changes within the optic nerve head typical of glaucoma and supporting fundamental pathophysiological differences.

Acute optic neuritis: What are the clues to the aetiological diagnosis in real life?

BACKGROUND: Previous cross-sectional studies have reported distinct clinical and radiological features among the different acute optic neuritis (ON) aetiologies. Nevertheless, these reports often included the same number of patients in each group, not taking into account the disparity in frequencies of ON aetiologies in a real-life setting and thus, it remains unclear what are the truly useful features for distinguishing the different ON causes. To determine whether clinical evaluation, ophthalmological assessment including the optical coherence tomography (OCT), CSF analysis, and MRI imaging may help to discriminate the different causes of acute ON in a real-life cohort. METHODS: In this prospective monocentric study, adult patients with recent acute ON (<1 month) underwent evaluation at baseline and 1 and 12 months, including, high- and low-contrast visual acuity, visual field assessment and OCT measurements, baseline CSF analysis and MRI. RESULTS: Among 108 patients, 71 (65.7%) had multiple sclerosis (MS), 19 (17.6%) had idiopathic ON, 13 (12.0%) and 5 (4.6%) had myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and aquaporin-4 antibodies, at last follow up respectively.At baseline, the distribution of bilateral ON, CSF-restricted oligoclonal bands, optic perineuritis, optic nerve length lesions and positive dissemination in space and dissemination in time criteria on MRI were significantly different between the four groups (p <0.001). No significant difference in visual acuity nor inner retinal layer thickness was found between the different ON aetiologies. CONCLUSIONS: In this large prospective study, bilateral visual involvement, CSF and MRI results are the most useful clues in distinguishing the different aetiologies of acute ON, whereas ophthalmological assessments including OCT measurements revealed no significant difference between the aetiologies.

Quality of nonmydriatic digital fundus photography obtained by nurse practitioners in the emergency department: the FOTO-ED study.

OBJECTIVE: Nonmydriatic fundus photography by non-ophthalmic-trained personnel has recently been shown to be a potential alternative to direct ophthalmoscopy in the emergency department (ED). We evaluated the reliability of a novel quality rating scale and applied this scale to nonmydriatic fundus photographs taken during routine ED patient encounters to determine factors associated with diminished photograph quality. DESIGN: Prospective, cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: We included 350 patients enrolled in the Fundus photography versus Ophthalmoscopy Trials Outcomes in the Emergency Department study who were photographed by nurse practitioners after <30 minutes of training followed by supervision. METHODS: Photographs of both eyes were graded for quality on 2 occasions by 2 neuro-ophthalmologists. Four regions were independently evaluated for quality: Optic disc, macula, and superior and inferior vascular arcades. Quality as a function of the number of photographs taken was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Mixed effects ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate for predictors of image quality while accounting for the repeated measures design. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall photographic quality (1-5 scale; 5 best). RESULTS: We evaluated 1734 photographs. Inter- and intraobserver agreements between neuro-ophthalmologists were very good (weighted kappa, 0.84-0.87). Quality of the optic disc area was better than those of other retinal areas (P<0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that if a high-quality photograph of an eye was not obtained by the third attempt, it was unlikely that one would be obtained at all. A 10-second increase in the interphotograph interval before a total of 40 seconds increased the odds of a 1-unit higher quality rating by 1.81 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-1.98), and a 10-year increase in age decreased the odds by 0.76 times (95% CI, 0.69-0.85). Black patients had 0.42 times (95% CI, 0.28-0.63) the odds of a 1-unit higher quality rating compared with whites. CONCLUSIONS: Our 5-point scale is a reliable measure of nonmydriatic photograph quality. The region of interest, interphotograph interval, and patient age and race are significant predictors of image quality for nonmydriatic photographs taken by nurse practitioners in the ED. Addressing these factors may have a direct impact on the successful implementation of nonmydriatic fundus photography into the ED.

Perceptual alternations between unbound moving contours and bound shape motion engage a ventral/dorsal interplay.

Visual shape and motion information, processed in distinct brain regions, should be combined to elicit a unitary coherent percept of an object in motion. In an fMRI study, we identified brain regions underlying the perceptual binding of motion and shape independently of the features-contrast, motion, and shape-used to design the moving displays. These displays alternately elicited a bound (moving diamond) or an unbound (disconnected moving segments) percept, and were either physically unchanging yet perceptually bistable or physically changing over time. The joint analysis of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signals recorded during bound or unbound perception with these different stimuli revealed a network comprising the occipital lobe and ventral and dorsal visual regions. Bound percepts correlated with in-phase BOLD increases within the occipital lobe and a ventral area and decreased activity in a dorsal area, while unbound percepts elicited moderate BOLD modulations in these regions. This network was similarly activated by bistable unchanging displays and by displays periodically changing over time. The uncovered interplay between the two regions is proposed to reflect a generic binding process that dynamically weights the perceptual evidence supporting the different shape and motion interpretations according to the reliability of the neural activity in these regions.

Generalization of ocular myasthenia gravis 10 years after onset.

BACKGROUND: Generalization of ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) represents a pejorative evolution, and no validated generalization-prevention strategy exists. The study aimed to determine the percentage of patients with OMG generalization and identify factors predictive of it to establish a prediction score. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included 151 patients diagnosed with OMG after an initial work-up in our institution. The outcome measure was time to MG generalization. The explanatory variables were age at onset (> 55 years), sex, first-year anti-acetylcholine-receptor antibody-positivity, repetitive nerve stimulation showing electromyogram decrement and corticosteroid use. Kaplan-Meier estimations of the probability of risk of generalization, and descriptive and multivariate Cox model analyses were computed. A nomogram combining explanatory variables was used to establish a score to predict the probability of OMG generalization. RESULTS: Among 183 patients' charts identified, 151 had confirmed OMG. Their median follow-up was 5.7 years. Estimations (95% CI) of OMG-generalization risk at 1, 3 and 10 years post-symptom onset, respectively, were: 13.0% (7.3-18.2), 25.1% (17.5-32.0) and 37.8% (27.2-45.2). The p-value-based multivariate analysis associated generalization with female sex, electromyogram decrement and first-year anti-acetylcholine-receptor antibody positivity, and Akaike information criterion-based analysis retained those three parameters and corticosteroid use. A nomogram was built and validated with an optimism-corrected C-statistic of 0.68, and calibration plots showed good fit. CONCLUSIONS: Our population's percentage of OMG generalization is in line with recent publications. Using the identified prognostic factors, the nomogram provided a score to predict the probable risk of generalization in our cohort.

Imaging of the optic nerve: technological advances and future prospects.

Over the past decade, ocular imaging strategies have greatly advanced the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with optic neuropathies. Developments in optic nerve imaging have specifically improved the care of patients with papilloedema and idiopathic intracranial hypertension, inflammatory optic neuropathies, and compressive optic neuropathies. For example, optic nerve imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT) is now widely used as an outcome measure in clinical trials of neurological disorders (eg, demyelinating diseases), and OCT findings could be informative of disease progression in patients with various neurodegenerative disorders (eg, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease). In the past 5 years, multimodality optic nerve imaging has expanded to systematically include focused and wide-field colour and autofluorescence fundus photographs; various types of optic nerve, macular, and vascular OCT; and specific MRI techniques. Such multimodality imaging makes the diagnosis of optic neuropathies easier and provides objective information on optic nerve damage, which is useful for prognosis. Non-mydriatic ocular fundus cameras and OCT have become readily available in non-ophthalmic settings and could easily be implemented in neurological clinics and emergency departments, allowing for direct access to optic nerve imaging and enabling teleconsultations. In the future, these imaging studies could be used in association with artificial intelligence deep-learning systems, which are already transforming the field of ocular imaging.

Papilloedema and MRI enhancement of the prechiasmal optic nerve at the acute stage of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy.

The authors report a case of one patient from a family carrying the homoplasmic Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) G11778A mitochondrial DNA mutation with papilloedema 9 months prior to the acute stage of LHON and still present at the onset of visual loss. During the vision loss, the MRI demonstrated a T2 hyperintensity and an enhancement of the prechiasmal left optic nerve, suggesting the existence of an inflammatory mechanism. A retrospective review of the chart of two others members of the same family, with bilateral optic disc oedema at onset of the vision loss, suggests that the relationship of papilloedema and acute phase of LHON may not be just a coincidence, at least in this family. The visual loss related to LHON could have been triggered in the setting of the chronic papilloedema, associated with the intracranial hypertension.

Microalbuminuria: a sentinel of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected individuals?

BACKGROUND: According to population-based studies, microalbuminuria is associated with subsequent cognitive decline over a 4-6-year period, because of cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD). This prospective cross-sectional study (NCT02852772) was designed to evaluate whether a history of microalbuminuria is associated with subsequent cognitive decline in combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)-treated persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIVs). METHODS: From our computerized medical database, we identified 30 PLHIVs (median age 52 years), immunovirologically controlled on cART, who had microalbuminuria in 2008 and had undergone, between 2013 and 2015, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment (NPA) including seven domains (cases): information-processing speed, motor skills, executive functions, attention/working memory, learning/memory, reasoning and verbal fluency. Forty-nine PLHIVs matched for age (median age 48 years; p = 0.19), sex, and year of first HIV-seropositivity without microalbuminuria in 2008 were identified and underwent the same NPA between 2013 and 2015 (controls). RESULTS: Cases performed less well than controls for information-processing speed (p = 0.01) and motor skills (p = 0.02), but no differences were found for the other cognitive domains and global z-scores. A multivariable linear-regression model adjusted for confounding factors confirmed the microalbuminuria effect for the information-processing-speed z score. CONCLUSION: cART-treated PLHIVs with a history of microalbuminuria subsequently had worse cognitive performances for the information-processing-speed domain, possibly because of CSVD. Our observations should be considered preliminary findings of a temporal link between microalbuminuria, CSVD, and subsequent cognitive impairment.

Absence of peripapillary retinal nerve-fiber-layer thinning in combined antiretroviral therapy-treated, well-sustained aviremic persons living with HIV.

PURPOSE: To compare peripapillary retinal nerve-fiber-layer (pRNFL) thickness, total retina macular volume, and ganglion-cell-layer (GCL) macular volume and thickness between persons living with HIV (PLHIVs) with well-controlled infections and good immune recovery, and sex- and age-matched HIV-uninfected controls (HUCs). METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study (www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02003989) included 56 PLHIVs, infected for ≥10 [median 20.2] years and with sustained plasma HIV-load suppression on combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) for ≥5 years, and 56 matched HUCs. Participants underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with thorough ophthalmological examinations and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their overall and quadrant pRNFL thicknesses, total macular volumes, and GCL macular volumes and thicknesses were compared. Cerebral small-vessel diseases (CSVD) complied with STRIVE criteria. RESULTS: Median [interquartile range, IQR] ages of PLHIVs and HUCs, respectively, were 52 [46-60] and 52 [44-60] years. Median [IQR] PLHIVs' nadir CD4+ T-cell count and current CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio were 249/µL [158-350] and 0.95 [0.67-1.10], respectively; HIV-seropositivity duration was 20.2 [15.9-24.5] years; cART duration was 16.8 [12.6-18.6] years; and aviremia duration was 11.4 [7.8-13.6] years. No significant between-group pRNFL thickness, total macular volume, macular GCL-volume and -thickness differences were found. MRI-detected CSVD in 21 (38%) PLHIVs and 14 (25%) HUCs was associated with overall thinner pRNFLs, and smaller total retina and GCL macular volumes, independently of HIV status. CONCLUSIONS: SD-OCT could not detect pRNFL thinning or macular GCL-volume reduction in well-sustained, aviremic, cART-treated PLHIVs who achieved good immune recovery. However, CSVD was associated with thinner pRNFLs and GCLs, independently of HIV status.

Correction: Absence of peripapillary retinal nerve-fiber-layer thinning in combined antiretroviral therapy-treated, well-sustained aviremic persons living with HIV.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229977.].