ESPE Abstracts

Background: Visual impairment is a critical component of aftercare in survivors of childhood onset craniopharyngioma (CP). This study aims to evaluate retinal ganglion cell complex thickness (GCC) and correlation with clinical parameters in patients with CP using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Sixty eyes of 37 patients with childhood onset craniopharyngioma and 90 eyes of 45 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the patients and controls was 10.2 ± 4.29 (range 4-17) years and 10.7 ± 3.41 (range 4-17) years, respectively. All patients underwent a complete endocrine examination before and after surgery. Moreover, all participants in the study underwent a full ophthalmological examination OCT imaging using RTVue XR Avanti (Optovue) after surgery. The following OCT-based parameters were analyzed: average ganglion cell complex thickness (avgGCC), superior ganglion cell complex thickness (supGCC), inferior ganglion cell complex thickness (infGCC), global loss of volume (GLV) and focal loss of volume (FLV).

Results: There were significant differences in avgGCC (82 μm, range 59 - 110 vs 100 μm, range 88 -110, P = 0,0000), supGCC (79,5 μm, range 60 - 116 vs 100 μm, range 86 - 109, P = 0,0000), infGCC (83 μm, range 58 - 107 vs 100 μm, range 76 - 113, P = 0,0000), FVL (7,31%, range 0,5 – 19,2 vs 0,3%, range 0,0 – 2,2, P = 0,0000), and GVL (13,8%, range 1,25 – 35,3 vs 0,65%, range 0,0 – 7,6, P = 0,0000) between patients with CP after neurosurgical treatment and healthy children. Pre-diagnosis symptoms affecting the reduction of the GCC thickness were: drowsiness/disturbance of consciousness P = 0,042, deceleration of growth velocity P = 0,035, and delayed puberty P = 0,007. Likewise, tumor volume P = 0,005, maximum tumor diameter P = 0,019, and tumor location on the Puge scale 0,024 were also significantly affected. There were correlations between age at the surgery and avgGCC (P = 0,012), supGCC (P = 0,007), infGCC (P = 0,028), GLV (P = 0,009).

Conclusion: Assessment of retinal GCC is beneficial for evaluating structural damage of patients with CP. The study suggests that GCC examination should be used as an adjunct to ophthalmologic examination.