1. New insights in the pathogenic mechanism of multiple sclerosis: Is Epstein-Barr virus associated with optic nerve involvement?
- Author
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Remolí-Sargues L, Monferrer-Adsuara C, López-Salvador B, García-Villanueva C, Gracia-García A, Castro-Navarro V, and Cervera-Taulet E
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Male, Retrospective Studies, Adult, Middle Aged, Eye Infections, Viral virology, Eye Infections, Viral diagnosis, Optic Neuritis virology, Optic Neuritis diagnosis, Optic Neuritis immunology, Optic Nerve diagnostic imaging, Optic Nerve pathology, Optic Nerve virology, Immunoglobulin G blood, Capsid Proteins immunology, Young Adult, Antigens, Viral, Tomography, Optical Coherence, Nerve Fibers pathology, Retinal Ganglion Cells pathology, Retinal Ganglion Cells virology, Herpesvirus 4, Human immunology, Herpesvirus 4, Human isolation & purification, Epstein-Barr Virus Infections virology, Epstein-Barr Virus Infections complications, Epstein-Barr Virus Infections diagnosis, Multiple Sclerosis virology, Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, Antibodies, Viral blood, Fluorescein Angiography methods
- Abstract
Introduction: There are no reports in the literature studying the possible relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and optic nerve involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of our study was to analyze the association between EBV antibodies titres and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) quantitative parameters., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study. The study included 98 eyes of 49 patients with MS. Years of MS duration, relapse count, history of optic neuritis (ON), and immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies to the EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) were recorded from each patient. Also, OCT analysis (including retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness) and OCTA analysis (including perfusion density (PD) and flux index (FI) of the radial peripapillary capillary plexus) were performed in each participant., Results: No significant associations were observed between anti-EBV antibody levels and OCT or OCTA parameters ( p > 0,05). Correlation analysis between OCT and OCTA measurements showed a significant positive correlation between RNFL thickness and GCIPL thickness with peripapillary PD and FI ( p < 0,035). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant diminution of RNFL thickness, GCIPL thickness and peripapillary PD and FI ( p < 0,05) in the ON group., Conclusion: We were unable to demonstrate a significant association between anti-EBV VCA IgG antibody titres and OCT or OCTA parameters. Nonetheless, further longitudinal studies are needed to explore the possible association of EBV with optic nerve involvement in MS., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
- Published
- 2024
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