Structural indicators linked to presence of macular edema in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Structural indicators, like epiretinal membrane (ERM) and vitreo-macular traction (VMT), as well as specific inheritance patterns and genetic variants, are significantly linked to the presence of macular edema (ME), in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), according to a study.

Among the 106 patients included in the study, 73.1% were found to exhibit ME in at least 1 eye, with 37.9% prevalence in the right eye (OD) and 31.7% in the left eye (OS).

Structural factors emerged as crucial indicators of ME, with the presence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) and vitreo-macular traction (VMT) showing statistically significant associations. Inheritance patterns also played a pivotal role, with X-linked and autosomal dominant inheritance showing correlations. Specific pathogenic variants in RP1 and EYS genes also demonstrated significant associations with ME.

Reference
Arias JD, Kalaw FGP, Alex V, et al. Investigating the associations of macular edema in retinitis pigmentosa. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):14187. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-41464-z. PMID: 37648803; PMCID: PMC10469217.