Investigation of Possible Correlation Between Retinal Neurovascular Biomarkers and Early Cognitive Impairment in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Purpose: To investigate the association between retinal neurovascular biomarkers and early cognitive impairment among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: Patients with CKD stage ≥3 were evaluated using the standardized Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Patients were classified as having a low (<24), middle (24 to 27), and high (>27) MMSE level. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, GCC global loss volume, and GCC focal loss volume were measured using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Superficial vascular plexus vessel density, deep vascular plexus vessel density (DVP-VD), and size of the foveal avascular zone were obtained by OCT angiography.

Results: The study enrolled 177 patients with a mean ± SD age of 64.7 ± 6.6 years. The mean ± SD MMSE score was 27.25 ± 2.30. Thirteen, 65, and 99 patients were classified as having a low, middle, and high MMSE level, respectively. The patients with a high MMSE level were younger, had more years of education, had less severe CKD, and had higher DVP-VD than patients with a low MMSE level. The multivariable regression revealed that age (coefficient, 0.294; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.195-0.393; P = 0.041), years of education (coefficient, 0.294; 95% CI, 0.195-0.393; P < 0.001), estimated glomerular filtration rate (coefficient, 0.019; 95% CI, 0.004-0.035; P = 0.016), and DVP-VD (coefficient, 0.109; 95% CI, 0.007-0.212; P = 0.037) were independent factors associated with MMSE score.

Conclusions: Retinal DVP-VD was associated with early cognitive impairment among patients with CKD.

Translational Relevance: DVP-VD measured by OCT angiography may facilitate early detection of cognitive impairment.