PERIPAPILLARY RETINAL NERVE FIBER ALTERATIONS IN HEART FAILURE WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness. Methodology: The study included patients who were being followed at Kartal Kosuyolu High Speciality Training and Research Hospital for HFrEF and were referred to the Eye Clinic of the Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital,  Istanbul, Turkey between 2017-2019. Study participants were divided into two groups, one comprising HFrEF patients and a control group of patients without HF. Each patient underwent a routine ophthalmologic examination including best corrected visual acuity evaluation, intraocular pressure measurement, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and fundus examination. The RNFL of each patient was measured using spectral domain OCT. Results: A total of eyes of 37 HFrEF patients and 38 controls were evaluated. Superior RNFL thickness was 113.71±17.08 μm in the HFrEF group and 126.22 ± 13.68 μm in the control group (p=0.001). Inferior RNFL thickness was 117.88 ± 14.5 μm in the HFrEF group and 131.69 ± 12.93 μm in the control group (p<0.001). Average RNFL thickness in the HFrEF and control groups was 92.32 ± 10.22 μm and 103.31 ± 8.14 μm, respectively. There were significant differences between the study groups in all five parameters. Conclusion: In this study, RNLF thinning occurs in HFrEF compared to the control group that may be useful for demonstrate tissue perfusion deficiency in HFrEF.