The relation between intraocular pressure peak in the water drinking test and visual field progression in glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the results of the water drinking test between glaucomatous eyes with and without visual field progression.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 76 eyes of 76 open angle glaucoma patients followed for a mean period of 26.0 (SD 13.8) months. Patients were submitted to the water drinking test at the beginning of the follow up period. Reliable achromatic automated perimetry tests performed during the studied period were used to characterise visual field progression. All subjects were under clinical therapy and had an intraocular pressure (IOP) lower than 17 mm Hg monitored by isolated measurements during the follow up period. The results of the water drinking test were compared between glaucomatous eyes with and without visual field progression.


RESULTS
Twenty eight eyes reached definite visual field progression. There were no significant differences in the mean age, sex, race, basal IOP, number of antiglaucomatous drugs, initial mean deviation (MD), and corrected pattern standard deviation (CPSD) between eyes that showed visual field progression and the ones who did not progress. A significant difference of 1.9 (SD 0.6) mm Hg (p = 0.001, analysis of covariance; 95% CI 0.8 to 3.0) was observed between glaucomatous eyes that showed visual field deterioration and glaucomatous eyes that did not progress. A significant difference of 16.8% (SD 4.6%) in the mean percentage of IOP variation was also observed between the two groups (p<0.001, analysis of covariance; 95% CI 7.7 to 26.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Mean IOP peak and percentage of IOP variation during water drinking test were significantly higher in patients with visual field progression compared with patients who did not progress.
Susanna
R
R
Glaucoma Service, Ophthalmology Department, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Vessani
R M
RM
Sakata
L
L
Zacarias
L C
LC
Hatanaka
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D018450:Disease Progression; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents