PR-RPE loss ratio and FAF patterns identified as key predictors of geographic atrophy progression

Ratio of photoreceptor (PR) to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) loss, along with specific fundus autofluorescence (FAF) patterns like “diffuse” and “diffuse trickling,” can serve as key biomarkers for predicting the progression of geographic atrophy (GA), according to a study.

The study analyzed multimodal imaging from 87 treatment-naïve patients with GA with 6-24 months of follow-up. Researchers manually annotated GA areas on FAF images and PR-RPE loss areas on optical coherence tomography images. They found that baseline PR-RPE loss ratios significantly influenced GA progression rates, with higher ratios correlating with faster disease progression.

FAF patterns labeled “diffuse” and “diffuse trickling” were associated with elevated PR-RPE loss ratios at baseline and significantly contributed to GA growth. Larger GA lesion sizes were negatively correlated with baseline PR-RPE loss ratios.

Reference
Egger D, Doll B, Gonzalez C, et al. Photoreceptor-RPE loss ratio and fundus autofluorescence patterns as predictive factors for lesion progression in geographic atrophy. Acta Ophthalmol. 2024;doi: 10.1111/aos.17431. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39692064.

This content is independent editorial sponsored by Astellas. Astellas had no input in the development of this content.