Test–Retest Reproducibility of Determining Optic Disc Deterioration in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS):

Abstract

 

Abstract:

 

 

To determine the test–retest reproducibility of glaucomatous optic disc deterioration by the Optic Disc Reading Center (ODRC) in OHTS.

 

 

The same set of "quality control" photographs was read in a masked fashion annually for five years. These photographs were mixed with the photographs in the usual ODRC reading stream so the readers were unaware of which were the test photographs. Optic disc deterioration was judged by masked side–by–side comparison of baseline and follow–up photographs. Quality control photographs consisted of "gold standard" negatives – 50 eyes whose follow–up photographs showed "no change" from baseline, and "gold standard" positives – 36 eyes whose follow–up photographs and confirmation photographs showed glaucomatous change from baseline.

 

During the five years, specificity was 98% or better, the sensitivity ranged from 64% to 81%, and Kappa ranged from 0.65 to 0.83.

 

 

^{The determination of optic disc deterioration by the ODRC has been highly reproducible over time.}

 

 

Keywords: clinical research methodology • optic disc