Posters

Assessment of the effect of chronic methamphetamine abuse on retina and visual nervous system using optical coherence tomography (OCT)

Poster Details

First Author: M.Talebnejad IRAN

Co Author(s):    M. Khalili   P. Khazaei                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Purpose: Methamphetamine (MA) is a highly addictive and hallucinogenic addictive drug; it’s used as the second most common addictive drug due to simple and low cost of drug in comparison with other addictive substances. MA affect the dopaminergic, noradrenergic, serotonergic, and opioidergic systems throughout of the brain. Chronic abuse of MA could damage neurons as well as retinal cells due to accumulation of reactive oxygen species and severe oxidative stress. Aim Of this study evaluate the effects of chronic MA abuse on retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) and bruch’s membrane opening minimum rim width (BMO-MRW).

Setting:

Setting: Shiraz university of medical sciences (Khalili Hospital).

Methods:

Methods: In this case-control study, 55 chronic MA abuser and 49 healthy individuals with mean age of 44.63±0.97 and 43.08±0.91 (respectively) were recruited. Retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer and bruch’s membrane opening minimum rim width were assessed by using optical coherence tomography.

Results:

Results: In this study, 110 eyes and 98 eyes of MA abusers and healthy individuals were evaluated. Significant decrease of RNFL, GCL and BMO-MRW thickness were find in MA abusers (P value: 0.002; P value: 0.013; P value: 0.006, respectively). Also, our results showed significant relation between MA dose increment and decrement of RNFL and GCL thickness (P value: 0.005, P value: 0.013). Further analysis indicate more decrease of RNFL and BMO-MRW thickness in MA abusers with long duration of addiction (P value: 0.023; P value: 0.004, respectively).

Conclusions:

For the first time, we showed significant decrease of RNFL, GCL and BMO-MRW thickness in MA abusers. Our results may suggests significant influence of oxidative stress produced by MA consumption on the retina and visual nervous system.

Financial Disclosure:

None