Central serous chorioretinopathy occurs in high frequency in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease, seropositive and seronegative neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders compared to multiple sclerosis and healthy controls

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) are autoimmune inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system. Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is characterized by a serous retinal detachment with leakage of fluid through the retinal pigment epithelium accumulating under the retina. This study investigated a potential association between CSCR and these neuroinflammatory disorders. METHODS: We included people with aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) seropositive NMOSD (N = 39), multiple sclerosis (MS, N = 39), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD, N = 13), seronegative NMOSD (SN-NMOSD, N = 9), and healthy controls (HC, N = 30). Using optical coherence tomography (OCT), we assessed CSCR frequency and the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL). RESULTS: There was a higher CSCR frequency (21.3%) throughout all investigated subgroups (AQP4-IgG seropositive NMOSD, MOGAD, and SN-NMOSD) than in the HC group (p = 0.048), with a significant association between CSCR and arterial hypertension frequency but not with these diagnoses, retinal neuroaxonal loss, or history of optic neuritis. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of CSCR suggests a potential benefit of routine monitoring of CSCR in patients with NMOSD and MOGAD using the OCT technology, a reliable method to detect and monitor CSCR in patients with neuroinflammatory disorders. Further research is necessary to establish the underlying pathophysiology and potential effects on vision.