Purpose:
To evaluate the association between platelet function and disc hemorrhage in patients with normal tension glaucoma(NTG).
Methods:
This study included 96 NTG patients with (n=44) and without (n=52) disc hemorrhage. A detailed eye examination including stereo disc photo, red free photo, Humphrey visual field, measurement of RNFL thickness with stratus OCT RNFL thickness, and measurement of collagen/epinephrine (CEPI) closure time with the platelet function analyzer (PFA)-100 system for platelet function assessment were performed in all subjects.
Results:
The two groups were closely matched in terms of the mean ages and gender (p=0.505, p=0.732). There was no significant difference on the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p=0.133, p=0.164, respectively). The CEPI closure time was higher in patients with disc hemorrhage than in those without disc hemorrhage (134.48 ± 50.03 vs 105.98 ± 20.31, p=0.001). The same correlation was observed when platelet function of the two groups were compared by age (Table 1).
Conclusions:
Our results indicate that platelet function has a significant association with the development of disc hemorrhages in NTG patients. The prolonged bleeding due to delayed platelet aggregation time plays the important role in disc hemorrhages observed in NTG patients.
Keywords: clinical laboratory testing