Abstract
Purpose: :
The aim of the study was to examine the effect of age on ocular pulse amplitudes (OPA).
Methods: :
In a prospective clinical trial 102 eyes of 102 patients (F:M=57:48; mean age 73,4±9,5y) were examined. Patients were divided in 7 groups with 14 to 15 patients each: 10-19y, 20-29y, 30-39y, 40-49y, 50-59y, 60-69y, and older or equal 70y. The mean age in the groups was 17.4 ± 2.2y, 23.8 ± 2.0y, 34.3 ± 2.8y, 45.5 ± 2.9y, 52.9 ± 2.6y, 65.3 ± 2.3y, and 73.7 ± 2.8y, respectively. The ocular pulse amplitudes and IOP were measured with the Dynamic contour tonometer (DCT). Additionally, axial length, corneal thickness were examined. A multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the effect of age, IOP, central corneal thickness (CCT), axial length (AL) on OPA.
Results: :
Over all measurements the mean OPA was 2.06 ± 0.95 mmHg. Divided in the 7 groups PA was 2.15 ± 0.88 mmHg in the group 10-19y, 1,54 ± 0,42 mmHg in the group 20-29y, 1.76 ± 0.64 mmHg in the group 30-39y, 1.48 ± 0.73 mmHg in the group 40-49y, 2.25 ± 1.08 mmHg in the group 50-59y, 2.57 ± 0.83 mmHg in the group 60-69y, and 2.67 ± 1.24 mmHg in the group older or equal 70y. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant positive correlation between OPA and age (P=0.013), and IOP (P=0.001), and a negative correlation with axial length (P=0.0001), respectively. CCT had no statistically significant effect on OPA(P=0.7).
Conclusions: :
OPA increases with increasing age. Additionally, OPA is affected by other parameters, e.g. IOP, and axial length suggesting that factors connected with a stiffness increase of the eye globe’s wall lead to an increase of OPA.
Keywords: intraocular pressure • aging • clinical research methodology