Evaluation of retinal nerve fibre layer, ganglion cell layer and choroidal thickness with optical coherence tomography in migraine patients: a case-control study

Abstract

BackgroundEvaluation of retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) and choroidal thickness (CT) with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in chronic migraine patients, to compare with healthy controls.

Material and MethodNinety-four eyes of 47 chronic migraine patients (Group 1) and 68 eyes of 34 healthy individuals (Group 2) were included in this prospective case-control study. The right and left eyes were separately evaluated. Mean peripapillary RNFL thicknesses, mean GCL measured from superior and inferior quadrants, and mean CT were measured at three different regions (central, 500 m nasal and temporal region of the fovea).

ResultsThere was no statistically significant differences in RNFL between the two groups (p > 0.05), while CT values were significantly higher and GCL values were significantly lower in chronic migraine groups (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between migraine duration, frequency and length of attacks, presence of aura, relation to menstrual cycle, white matter lesions in cranial magnetic resonance imaging and RNFL, GCL and CT (p > 0.05).

DiscussionIn this study, we observed chronic migraine disease does not have any effect on peripapillary RNFL thickness; however, increases in CT and decreases in GCL thickness were observed in migraine patients.