Diagnostic ability of a new method for measuring haemoglobin levels in the optic nerve head in multiple sclerosis patients.

AIMS To evaluate a new method for measuring haemoglobin (Hb) levels and quantifying the colour changes in the optic nerve head of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to detect axonal loss and consequently optic disc atrophy. MATERIAL AND METHODS 40 MS patients and 40 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were included in this prospective cross-sectional study and underwent a full ophthalmological examination, including three photographs of the optic disc. The Laguna ONhE ('optic nerve hemoglobin'; Insoft SL, Tenerife, Spain) software was used to obtain the Hb analysis in each of the 24 sectors and average Hb of optic disc photographs acquired. Reproducibility of measurements provided by Laguna ONhE program was analysed. RESULTS MS patients showed significant reduction of optic disc Hb percentages in average Hb (58.99% in MS, 65.39% in healthy subjects; p<0.001) and in almost all analysed sectors with the largest differences in temporal sectors. Laguna ONhE program showed good reproducibility measuring Hb percentages in MS patients and healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS Measurements of optic disc Hb levels obtained with Laguna ONhE software had good ability detecting optic atrophy and axonal loss in MS patients. This method had good reliability and is easy to implement in routine clinical practice.