Ocular autonomic function in progressive autonomic failure.
Ocular autonomic function was assessed in 4 patients with progressive autonomic failure (PAF) and age-matched control subjects, by measurement of the pupil cycle time, and determination of autonomic denervation hypersensitivity of the iris. Pupil cycle time was abnormal in all patients with PAF; sustained pupil cycling was absent in 5 of the 8 eyes tested of the PAF patients, compared with only 16 eyes from 70 control subjects. Pupil constriction in response to 2.5% methacholine, indicative of parasympathetic denervation hypersensitivity, was significantly increased in patients with PAF (p less than 0.001), whilst pupil dilation in response to 0.5% phenylephrine, indicative of sympathetic denervation hypersensitivity, was also significantly higher in the PAF patients (p less than 0.001). The results suggest that ocular autonomic function may provide a sensitive early indicator of generalised autonomic dysfunction.
Clark
C V
CV
University Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK.
Ewing
D J
DJ
D000368:Aged; D000867:Anterior Chamber / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007498:Iris / Q000294:innervation*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008688:Methacholine Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010781:Photography; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation
D008688:Methacholine Compounds; D010656:Phenylephrine