Retinal capillary blood flow is more strongly correlated with blood pressure parameters and intraocular pressure in male glaucoma patients

Abstract

Purpose : To assess the relationship between blood pressure parameters, intraocular pressure (IOP), and retinal capillary blood flow in males and female patients with primary open angle glaucoma (OAG).

Methods : 42 patients with OAG (18 males, 24 females) were assessed for blood pressure using an automated ambulatory blood pressure monitor. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry, and retinal capillary blood flow was assessed with Heidelberg Retinal flowmetry (HRF). Pearson correlation and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results : In male OAG patients, the percentage of avascular area in the superior retina was positively and significantly correlated with IOP (r=0.52, p=0.02) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r=0.48, p=0.04). The percentage of avascular area in the inferior retina was positively correlated with IOP (r=0.34, p=0.16) and positively and significantly correlated with SBP (r=0.49, p=0.04). In addition, mean arterial pressure (MAP) (r=0.52, p=0.02) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r=0.56, p=0.02) were positively and significantly correlated with IOP in male patients. In female OAG patients, these relationships were weakly correlated and insignificant compared to male OAG patients (all comparisons p>0.05)

Conclusions : In male OAG patients, retinal capillary blood flow was more strongly correlated with blood pressure and IOP compared to female OAG patients.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.