title: Arteriovenous passage times and visual field progression in normal tension glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fluorescein angiographic studies revealed prolonged arteriovenous passage (AVP) times and increased fluorescein filling defects in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) compared to healthy controls. The purpose of this study was to correlate baseline AVP and fluorescein filling defects with visual field progression in patients with NTG.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a follow-up period of at least 3 years and at least 4 visual field examinations were included in this retrospective study. Fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO, Rodenstock Instr.); fluorescein filling defects and AVP were measured by digital image analysis and dye dilution curves (25 Hz). Visual field progression was evaluated using regression analysis of the MD (Humphrey-Zeiss, SITA-24-2, MD progression per year (dB/year)). 72 patients with NTG were included, 44 patients in study 1 (fluorescein filling defects) and 28 patients in study 2 (AVP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In study 1 (mean follow-up 6.6 ± 1.9 years, 10 ± 5 visual field tests), MD progression per year (-0.51 ± 0.59 dB/year) was significantly correlated to the age (P = 0.04, r = -0.29) but not to fluorescein filling defects, IOP, or MD at baseline. In study 2 (mean follow-up 6.6 ± 2.2 years, 10 ± 5 visual field tests), MD progression per year (-0.45 ± 0.51 dB/year) was significantly correlated to AVP (P = 0.03, r = 0.39) but not to age, IOP, or MD at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Longer AVP times at baseline are correlated to visual field progression in NTG. Impaired retinal blood flow seems to be an important factor for glaucoma progression.
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of Ophthalmology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva Charlotte
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Kay Oliver
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Arend
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bienert
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Remky
authors.forename: Niklas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Plange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D057066:Low Tension Glaucoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014794:Visual Fields