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Tomographic Findings in the Retina of Unvaccinated Patients with COVID Pneumonia: Prospective Longitudinal Study

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Enrique Monera Lucas

    (Retina Unit, Ophthalmology Service, General University Hospital of Elche, 03203 Elche, Spain
    Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain)

  • Manuel Vicente Baeza Diaz

    (Retina Unit, Ophthalmology Service, General University Hospital of Elche, 03203 Elche, Spain
    Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain)

  • Jose A. Quesada

    (Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
    Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 03550 Alicante, Spain)

  • Adriana Lopez-Pineda

    (Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
    Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 03550 Alicante, Spain)

  • Cristian Fernandez Martinez

    (Retina Unit, Ophthalmology Service, General University Hospital of Elche, 03203 Elche, Spain)

  • Jose Juan Martinez Toldos

    (Retina Unit, Ophthalmology Service, General University Hospital of Elche, 03203 Elche, Spain
    Department of Pathology and Surgery, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain)

  • Vicente F. Gil-Guillén

    (Clinical Medicine Department, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
    Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), 03550 Alicante, Spain)

Abstract

There is no definitive evidence on the extent of SARS-CoV-2’s effect on the retina. This study aims to determine if the natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection affects tomographic findings in the retina of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. This is a prospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. The patients underwent ophthalmological explorations and optical coherence tomography during the acute phase of the infection and at a follow-up 12 weeks later. The primary outcomes were the central retinal thickness and central choroidal thickness, which were compared longitudinally and with non-COVID-19 historical controls. No statistically relevant differences were observed in the longitudinal analysis of the thickness of the central retina ( p = 0.056), central choroid ( p = 0.99), retinal nerve fiber layer ( p = 0.21), or ganglion cell layer ( p = 0.32). Patients with acute COVID-19 pneumonia showed significantly greater central retinal thickness than non-COVID controls ( p = 0.006). In conclusion, tomographic measures of the retina and choroid are not influenced by the phase of COVID-19 infection and remain stable during 12 weeks. The central retinal thickness may increase in the acute phase of COVID-19 pneumonia, but more epidemiological studies using optical coherence tomography in the early stages of the disease are needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Enrique Monera Lucas & Manuel Vicente Baeza Diaz & Jose A. Quesada & Adriana Lopez-Pineda & Cristian Fernandez Martinez & Jose Juan Martinez Toldos & Vicente F. Gil-Guillén, 2023. "Tomographic Findings in the Retina of Unvaccinated Patients with COVID Pneumonia: Prospective Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-10, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:9:p:5659-:d:1134005
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