African Americans with multiple sclerosis (AAMS) have greater retinal structure injury than Caucasians with multiple sclerosis (CAMS), irrespective of history of acute optic neuritis (AON). This according to a study of 234 patients with MS, including 149 CAMS and 85 AAMS, and 74 healthy controls, including 60 CA and 14 AA. Researchers found:

• Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) was thicker in AA vs CA healthy controls (100.9 vs 97.00 mm).

• Compared to healthy controls, patients with MS had thinner pRFML, and lower total macular volume (TMV), macular RNFL, ganglion cell layer (GCL), and inner plexiform layer (IPL).

• AAMS had thinner pRNFL (87.2 vs 90.0 mm), and lower TMV (8.2 vs 8.4 mm³), RNFL (0.73 vs 0.79 mm³), and GCL (0.94 vs 0.98 mm³) vs CAMS.

• Sub-analysis of patients without history of AON showed thinner pRNFL (88.9 vs 93.1 mm) and TMV (8.2 vs 8.5 mm³) in AAMS vs CAMS.

Citation: Seraji-Bozorgrad N, Reed S, Bao F, et al. Characterizing retinal structure injury in african-americans with multiple sclerosis. [Published online ahead of print February 12, 2016]. Mult Scler Rel Dis. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2016.02.009.