2Assistant Prof. MD., Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Konya,Turkey
3Assistant Prof. MD., Sutcu Imam University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Department of Pediatric Neurology, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
4Assistant Prof. MD., Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Ankara, Turkey DOI : 10.37845/ret.vit.2020.29.37 Purpose: To evaluate the peripapiller retinal nerve fi ber layer (RNFL) thickness with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) in pediatric cases who presented with different neurological symptoms and determined with vitamin B12 defi ciency.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients diagnosed with vitamin B12 defi ciency (study group) and 30 age and sex matched healthy children (control group) were included in this study. Complete blood count, serum vitamin B12 level (pg /mL), serum folic acid level (ng/ mL) and complete biochemical parameters were obtained for all subjects in both groups. Peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements were performed with SD-OCT (Optovue Inc. Fremont, CA, USA).
Results: In comparison with the control group values, the superior RNFL and global RNFL thickness measurements of the study group were statistically signifi cantly lower, indicating a thinner layer (p=0.01, p=0.007, respectively). The nasal and inferior RNFL thickness measurements of the study group were lower than those of the control group, however, no statistically signifi cant difference was determined (p=0.069, p=0.097, respectively)
Conclusions: RNFL thickness should be evaluated in children suffer from weakness, dizziness and numbness in the hands and feet and detected low serum vitamin b 12 level. Low RNFL values in these patients may be a direct / indirect indicator of central nervous system involvement.
Keywords : Retinal nerve fi ber layer (RNFL), Optical coherence tomography (OCT), Vitamin B12 defi ciency