OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY OF THE OPTIC NERVE DATABASE OF AN AMAZONIAN POPULATION

Abstract

Purpose: Create a database for Optical Coherence Tomography in an Amazonian population

Methods: Both eyes of 158 healthy patients were previously submited through biomicroscopy, fundoscopia, visual acuity and optical coherence tomography exams, under the Optical Nerve OCT protocol and were evaluated with RTVue SD-OCT (Optovue, Inc. Fremont, CA, USA) under the American National Standards Institute (1993). We divaided the patients into four groups by age: 16-30 years (n = 33, 24.7y ± 4.11 years old), 31-45 years (n = 41, 37.5y ± 3.84 years old), 46-60 years (n = 43, 53.3y ± 4.6 years old) and above 60 years (n = 41, 74.6y ± 8.55 years old). The following parameters were evaluated: average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), volume nerve head, cup-disc area ratio, optic nerve head map of 8 regions (ST, NS, NU, NL, IN, IT, TL and TU). All groups were compared to each other. We used confidence interval; tolerance interval and percentile of 5 % to determine normal condition as criteria, and we used two-way ANOVA, one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni posttest to compare the groups. All tests accepted α = 0,05.

Results: Analyzes with the Confidence Limit and Limit Tolerance Standards yielded negative results, making those criteria less reliable and feasible for the study. However, the analysis using the 0.05 percentile had a satisfactory result. There was statistical difference with p <0.05 between the ages of 16-30 years and above 60 years in the ST, SN and IT regions, and between the ages of 31-45 years and above 60 years in ST and IN regions. There was statistical difference in cup disc area ratio between the age groups 16-30 years and above 60 years with p<0.05.

Conclusions: We were able to determine standard data of OCT in an Amazonian population, and the group of age above 60 years showed statistical difference when compared to the youngest group and almost none when compared to other groups.

Keywords: 552 imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • 629 optic nerve • 465 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques