Purpose:
To evaluate the aqueous humor outflow facility patterns in glaucomapatients.
Methods:
One hundred and twenty primary open angle (POAG; n=62) and pseudoexfoliation(PXG; n=58) glaucoma patients were recruited in a non-interventionalstudy. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the patients’tonographic profile was attempted by means of a digital tonographer(DAHOM). Results were compared to the corresponding ones ofa control group (CG; n=133) of non-glaucoma - non-exfoliativeparticipants and of a non-glaucoma - exfoliative group (PEX;n=46).
Results:
Regarding quantitative analysis, glaucoma groups exhibited significantlylower outflow facility compared to non-glaucoma ones (p<0.001)(Figure1). Outflow facility value was significantly correlated to cupto disk (C/D) ratio (Pearson’s r=-.3, p<.001). Regardingqualitative analysis, POAG group presented a significant profilevariation at the beginning of the tonography, expressed as asudden outflow enhancement. This variation was significantlycorrelated to the IOP elevation caused by the DAHOM application(Pearson’s =.861; p<.001). Both glaucoma groups exhibitedprofile stabilization at the end of the measurement, suggestingthat the outflow facility remained constant, while non glaucomagroups followed a continuous reduction through all times (Figure2).
Conclusions:
POAG, PXG, PEX and CG groups demonstrated both qualitative andquantitative differences at their tonografic profile. Observeddifferences suggest a distinct pathomechanism in Glaucoma betweenPOAG and PXG.
Keywords: outflow: trabecular meshwork • aqueous • optic nerve