Retinal nerve fibre layer cross-sectional area, neuroretinal rim area and body mass index.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between body mass index, neuroretinal rim area and retinal nerve fibre layer cross-sectional area (RNFLCRA) in a population-based setting.


METHODS
The Central India Eye and Medical Study is a population-based study performed in a rural region of Central India. The study included 4711 subjects (aged 30 + years). A detailed ophthalmic and medical examination was performed. Inclusion criteria for this study were an intra-ocular pressure ≤21 mmHg, open anterior chamber angles and an axial length ≤26.5 mm. Neuroretinal rim area and RNFLCRA were measured by confocal laser scanning tomography.


RESULTS
The study included 3959 subjects fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Larger neuroretinal rim area (mean: 1.63 ± 0.32 mm(2) ) was significantly (p = 0.004) associated with a higher body mass index after adjusting for larger disc area (p < 0.001), younger age (p < 0.001), lower intraocular pressure (p < 0.001), and hyperopic refractive error (p < 0.001). Larger retinal nerve fibre layer cross-sectional area (mean:1.29 ± 0.39 mm(2) ) was significantly associated with higher body mass index (p = 0.001) after adjusting for younger age (p < 0.001), shorter axial length (p < 0.001), larger optic disc area (p < 0.001), taller body height (p < 0.001) and male gender (p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
In a rural Central Indian population, neuroretinal rim area and RNFLCRA as surrogates of the optic nerve fibres were related to a higher body mass index. Because body mass index is associated with cerebrospinal fluid pressure, the higher cerebrospinal fluid pressure may be associated with a larger neuroretinal rim area. It may vaguely point towards an association between cerebrospinal fluid pressure and glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Suraj Eye Institute, Nagpur, India; Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Jost B
JB
Jonas
Vinay
V
Nangia
Rajesh
R
Gupta
Shubhra
S
Agarwal
Arshia
A
Matin
Anshu
A
Khare
Karishma
K
Bhate
Ajit
A
Sinha
Krishna
K
Bhojwani
Maithili
M
Kulkarni
Songhomitra
S
Panda-Jonas
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*
body mass index; cerebrospinal fluid pressure; glaucoma; neuroretinal rim; retinal nerve fibre layer