The association between the presence of epiretinal membrane and nerve fiber layer defect in an adult Japanese population : The Chikusei Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose : To assess the association between the presence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) and glaucomatous fundus changes, such as glaucomatous optic disc cupping and nerve fiber bundle defect (NFLD), in a Japanese population.

Methods : A cross-sectional community survey was conducted among residents of Chikusei in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. A total of 1988 participants aged 40 years or older underwent non-mydriatic fundus photographs of both eyes, and ERM and glaucomatous fundus changes, such as glaucomatous optic disc cupping (cup disc ratio ≥ 0.7) and NFLD, were graded by experienced ophthalmologists. After excluding eyes with suboptimal fundus image quality or concomitant retinal diagnoses, the remaining 3803 eyes (mean age 62.9 ± 10.2 years) were included in this analysis. The associations between the presence of ERM and glaucomatous fundus changes were assessed using generalized estimating equation and expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Further analyses were performed separately for the two groups aged ≥ 60 and < 60 years.

Results : Of the study participants, ERM, glaucomatous optic disc cupping and NFLD were found in 12.9％, 16.7% and 10.9%, respectively. After adjusting for age, gender and refractive errors, ERM was positively associated with NFLD in participants aged ≥ 60 years (ORs: 1.54, 95%CI: 1.02, 2.32), whereas no association was found in participants aged < 60 years. There was no significant association between ERM and glaucomatous optic disc cupping in either age group.

Conclusions : The presence of ERM was associated with NFLD, but not glaucomatous optic disc cupping in this study sample. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm this observation and, if so, to elucidate the pathological mechanisms.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.