مقالات پذیرفته شده در هشتمین کنگره بین المللی زیست پزشکی
Effects of chronic methamphetamine abuse on the retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and Bruch’s membrane opening minimum rim width
Effects of chronic methamphetamine abuse on the retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and Bruch’s membrane opening minimum rim width
Mohammad Reza Talebnejad,1,*Peyman Khazaei,2Zahra Saberikia,3Ebrahim Moghimi Sarani,4Mohammad Reza Khalili,5
1. Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 2. Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 3. Department of Biology, College of Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran 4. Department of Psychiatry, Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran 5. Poostchi Ophthalmology Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Introduction: Methamphetamine (Meth) is a strong psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug with a wide-range of effects on central nervous system . It is well known that Meth could result in neurotoxicity, neurodegeneration, and psychological complication. The reported ophthalmic complications of Meth are scarce and include retinal vasculitis, panophthalmitis, scleritis, retinopathy, and transient and even permanent blindness. . Previously, in an experimental study on rats, it has been shown that treatment of retinal ischemia by antidopaminergic agents leads to increment of ERG-b wave amplitude due to the decrease in the dopamine and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels; these results suggest that any agent that could increase dopamine, such as Meth, could affect the function of the optic nerve and retina. No previous study has investigated the effects of Meth on the peripapillary RNFL thickness, ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness, and Minimum rim width (MRW) on human subjects. MRW is defined as the minimum space between Bruch’s membrane opening and internal limiting membrane that shows the status of the neuroretinal rim tissue. In the present study, we assessed the RNFL thickness as well as MRW and GCL thickness in Meth users and com- pared them with healthy individuals.
Methods: In this case-control study, we recruited 55 Meth abusers and 49 healthy individuals with mean age of 44.63 ± 0.97 and 43.08 ± 0.91 years, respectively. All of the participants were examined comprehensively by an ophthalmologists. Slit lamp examination, IOP measurement and examination of the retina and optic nerve with wide-field 90-diopteres lens were performed. Measurement of the RNFL thickness, GCL thickness and MRW was performed using Spectral domain optical coherence topography.
Results: We found statistically significant decrease in RNFL, MRW thickness in Meth abusers (P: 0.002 and P: 0.006, respectively). We did not detect statistically significant difference regarding GCL thickness between the groups (P = 0.320). Our results showed a weak but statistically significant correlation of Meth dose increment and decrement of RNFL thickness ((P: 0.005, r = -0.193) and MRW (P: 0.013, r = -0.174). We found no correlation between duration of Meth consumption with RNFL and MRW thickness (P: 0.205, r= -0.124; P: 0.771, r= -0.029, respectively).
Conclusion: We found a statistically significant adverse association in meth abusers with RNFL thickness and MRW. These two parameters were also statistically associated with the meth dose as measured by daily dose of Meth. Although we found a decrease in the GCL thickness, it did not reach statistical significance.