Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on ocular hemodynamics in open angle glaucoma. Methods: Patients with open angle glaucoma were enrolled in this double-masked, placebo controlled cross-over study. Blood flow in the superior and inferior temporal peripapillary areas was evaluated with Heidelberg Retina Flowmetry (HRF; Heidelberg Engineering, GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany). After baseline measurements, patients were randomly assigned to oral placebo or GBE 120 mg/day. HRF examination was repeated in 3 months, after the first arm of the study, and in 6 months, after crossover arm. No systemic or topical medications were added during this period. Pointwise analysis was used to evaluate HRF images. HRF parameters at baseline and post-GBE and post-placebo were compared by paired t-Test. Results: Forty-one eyes of 23 patients (11 males, 12 females) were enrolled. Mean patient age was 61.9 ± 13.1 years (range, 32-79 years). There was no difference among baseline; post-GBE and post-placebo mean flow, zero-flow pixels (pixels less than one arbitrary unit of flow), 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles of flow at any location (p≷0.05 for all comparisons; see table). Conclusion: GBE, at a dose of 120mg/day, has no detectable alteration on peripapillary retinal hemodynamics using HRF in open angle glaucoma. Table (*arbitrary units)
Keywords: 390 drug toxicity/drug effects • 430 imaging/image analysis: clinical • 357 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials