Early Structure–Function Correlates in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Artificial Intelligence–Derived OCT Biomarkers

@article{mares2026early,
  title = {{Early Structure–Function Correlates in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Artificial Intelligence–Derived OCT Biomarkers}},
  author = {Virginia Mares and Stefan Sacu and Sophie Frank-Publig and Anna Eidenberger and Philipp Fuchs and Leonard Coulibaly and Magdalena Baratsits and Georg Faustmann and Markus Gumpinger and Emese Sükei and Hrvoje Bogunovic and Gregor Reiter and Oliver Leingang and Alexandra Miere and Catherine Creuzot-Garcher and Laurent Kodjikian and Vincent Gualino and Benjamin Wolff and Ulrike Scheschy and Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth},
  journal = {Ophthalmology Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.xops.2026.101281},
  url = {https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05803506v1},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Early Structure–Function Correlates in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Artificial Intelligence–Derived OCT Biomarkers
AU  - Virginia Mares
AU  - Stefan Sacu
AU  - Sophie Frank-Publig
AU  - Anna Eidenberger
AU  - Philipp Fuchs
AU  - Leonard Coulibaly
AU  - Magdalena Baratsits
AU  - Georg Faustmann
AU  - Markus Gumpinger
AU  - Emese Sükei
AU  - Hrvoje Bogunovic
AU  - Gregor Reiter
AU  - Oliver Leingang
AU  - Alexandra Miere
AU  - Catherine Creuzot-Garcher
AU  - Laurent Kodjikian
AU  - Vincent Gualino
AU  - Benjamin Wolff
AU  - Ulrike Scheschy
AU  - Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
JO  - Ophthalmology Science
DO  - 10.1016/j.xops.2026.101281
UR  - https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05803506v1
AB  - Purpose To correlate automated AI-based retinal fluid quantification with ellipsoid zone (EZ) thickness and loss, macular neovascularization (MNV) type and visual function. Design This is a post-hoc analysis of a prospective, real-world, multicenter clinical trial. Subjects Patients with active neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) were included. Methods Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), measured with ETDRS chart, optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT-angiography and microperimetry were collected by the same certified examiners. Subretinal fluid (SRF), intraretinal fluid (IRF) and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) volumes for the central 1- and 6- mm area were calculated at baseline using the Fluid Monitor (Retinsight, Vienna, Austria) on Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). An automated algorithm segmented EZ thickness and loss detectable after fluid resolution at month 1. Main Outcome Measures Fluid volumes were associated with MNV type, EZ thickness and loss, retinal sensitivity and BCVA using univariate and multivariate regression models and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests with bootstrapped confidence intervals. Spearman correlation was used to analyse retinal sensitivity and EZ loss. Results 290 eyes of consecutive 290 patients with active MNV were included in the study at baseline. MNV type 1 was the most prevalent in this cohort. Comparing MNV types, lower amounts of IRF were found for type 1 (all p<0.001) and lower amounts of SRF for type 3 (all p<0.05) in the central 1- and 6-mm. A decreased BCVA at month 1 was associated with IRF in the central 1 mm at baseline (-6.8 letters/100nL, p<0.001). IRF and PED volumes at baseline were correlated with EZ loss at month 1 in the central 6 mm. High fluid volumes of IRF, SRF and PED in the central 1- and 6- mm also correlated with decreased mean retinal sensitivity (all p<0.01). EZ loss in the central 1- and 6-mm correlated with decreased retinal sensitivity (all p<0.01). Conclusion Retinal fluid volumes in nAMD are triggered by MNV types and correlate with photoreceptor integrity and visual function, with the impact depending on the fluid compartment. While fluid is central to disease monitoring, a more comprehensive approach to structural-functional assessment in nAMD is of interest.
SN  - 2666-9145
ER  -