Laser speckle flowgraphy derived characteristics of optic nerve head perfusion in normal tension glaucoma and healthy individuals: a Pilot study.

Abstract

The purpose of this prospective, case control study was to investigate the differences in optic nerve head blood flow measured with Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG) between Caucasian patients with normal tension glaucoma and healthy subjects. It included 20 eyes from 20 Caucasian patients with diagnosis of normal tension glaucoma and 20 eyes from age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. In the glaucoma group the antiglaucomatous therapy was paused 3 weeks prior to the investigations. Measurement of optic nerve head blood flow was performed with LSFG. The mean blur rate was obtained for different vascular compartments of the optic nerve head. Parameters for the characterization of pulse-waveform of the mean blur rate were calculated. It was shown that the mean blur rate was significantly lower in the glaucoma group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The significant differences in the pulse-waveform parameters blow out time (P = 0.028) and flow acceleration time index (P < 0.001) indicate a flatter curve in NTG patients. In conclusion, LSFG can detect differences in optic nerve head blood flow between eyes with normal tension glaucoma and healthy eyes.

• Authors: Anna Sophie Mursch-Edlmayr, Nikolaus Luft, Dominika Podkowinski, Michael Ring, Leopold Schmetterer, Matthias Bolz
• Journal: Scientific reports (Sci Rep) Vol. 8 Issue 1 Pg. 5343 (03 28 2018) ISSN: 2045-2322 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 29593269 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biomarkers
• Blood Pressure
• Case-Control Studies
• Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological
• Female
• Glaucoma (diagnosis, etiology, therapy)
• Humans
• Intraocular Pressure
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Optic Disk (blood supply)
• Pilot Projects
• ROC Curve
• Regional Blood Flow
• Visual Fields