Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate which systemic parameters are predictive factors for the development of disc haemorrhages in chronic open–angle glaucoma. Methods: The prospective comparative clinical observational study included 300 white patients with chronic open–angle glaucoma with a minimal follow–up of 1.5 years. Mean follow–up time was 56.1 months (median, 46.8). Patients in the whole study group were divided into those with an optic disc haemorrhage in either eye during the follow–up period (hemorrhagic group; n =74; 24.7%) and those without disc haemorrhage in any eye (n=226; 75.3%). Colour stereo optic disc photographs were obtained repeatedly in all patients and subjected to qualitative and morphometric evaluation. Results: Mean age was significantly higher, the frequency of female patients and of low–tension glaucoma was higher in the hemorrhagic group. In multivariate analysis, age, sex and glaucoma type remained independent significant predictors for disc haemorrhages. In the highest terzile of age (patients > 57 years of age), the development of disc haemorrhages was not associated with sex or glaucoma type. Conclusions:In chronic open–angle glaucoma, systemic predictive factors for the development of disc haemorrhages are female sex , low–tension glaucoma, and older age. In the older age range, sex and glaucoma type are not associated with disc haemorrhages.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: natural history • optic disc • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment