Outer Plexiform Layer Elevations as a Marker for Prior Ocular Attacks in Patients With Behcet's Disease.

Purpose: Patients with Behcet's disease frequently have abnormal focal outer plexiform layer (OPL) bumps, which compress the inner nuclear layer. This study investigates the clinical relevance of these OPL elevations in Behcet's disease patients.

Methods: Thirty-one consecutive patients (59 eyes) with Behcet's disease in remission and with available optical coherence tomography (OCT) images were included. The number of OPL bumps was counted using spectral-domain OCT images. The relationships between the number of bumps and visual acuity (VA), retinal thickness, choroidal thickness, disease duration, number of prior ocular attacks, and photoreceptor layer status (including external limiting membrane [ELM] and ellipsoid zone [EZ] continuity) were examined.

Results: Eyes with more severe EZ or ELM disruptions had lower VA, more ocular attacks, and thinner retinas. Additionally, EZ line and ELM line status were significantly correlated with the number of OPL elevations. Eyes with OPL elevations had poorer VA, longer disease duration, more ocular attacks, and thinner retinas than those without OPL elevations. Additionally, the number of OPL elevations was strongly correlated with the number of ocular attacks in eyes with a preserved photoreceptor layer (R = 0.720, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: The number of OPL elevations was associated with the number of prior ocular attacks in eyes with preserved photoreceptor layers. Therefore, OPL elevations may be a marker of prior posterior ocular attacks, which is important when determining how best to manage Behcet's uveitis.