Frequency of spontaneous pulsations of the central retinal vein in glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of spontaneous pulsations of the central retinal vein in eyes with chronic open-angle glaucoma versus normal eyes in the setting of a general ophthalmic practice.


METHODS
The clinical observational case-series study included 167 eyes of 84 subjects with chronic open-angle glaucoma and 704 eyes (352 subjects) of a control group. The optic disc was ophthalmoscopically examined using a noncontact ophthalmoscopic lens at the slit lamp in medical mydriasis.


RESULTS
Spontaneous pulsations of the central retinal vein were observed in significantly (P=0.005; odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.84) fewer eyes of the glaucoma group (107/167 or 64.1%+/-3.7%%) than in the eyes of the control group (530/704 or 75.3%+/-1.6%). In both groups, the presence of a spontaneous central retinal vein pulsation was statistically (P>0.10) independent of age, sex, refractive error, and intraocular pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
As examined in a nonreferral ophthalmic practice, eyes with chronic open-angle glaucoma compared with normal eyes show a significantly lower frequency of detected spontaneous pulsations of the central retinal vein. Confirming previous hospital-based studies, the results suggest that assessment of the central retinal vessel pulsations, as part of an optic disc examination may clinically be useful for the diagnosis of glaucoma.
Legler
Ulrich
U
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Jonas
Jost B
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009184:Mydriatics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009884:Ophthalmodynamometry; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000502:physiology*
D009184:Mydriatics