Evaluation of the progression of visual field damage in patients suffering from early manifest glaucoma

Abstract BACKGROUND: This retrospective study aimed to determine how often a perimetric examination should be carried out in order to identify visual field (VF) changes in patients with relatively early manifestation glaucoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients included had a relatively recent manifestation of primary open-angle glaucoma. Patients with a minimum follow-up of 5 years and a minimum of seven VF tests were included. Statistical analysis was performed to verify the trend of variations in mean defect (MD) over time (PeriData). The results were subjected to a t-test for a comparative analysis of progression of VF changes over time. The annual rate of progression provided by PeriData considering all the VFs analyzed was compared with that obtained on half of the VF examinations during the same follow-up period. An analysis of the MD trend over time was also carried out in relationship to the number of VF tests done and by dividing the sample into a high-frequency group (more than eight VFs) and a low-frequency group (fewer than eight VFs) in the follow-up period. RESULTS: A total of 96 eyes of 96 patients were included, and overall 846 VFs were examined. The paired t-test performed comparing the MD index of all the VFs against half of them did not show statistical significance (P=0.537). The high-frequency group comprised 39 eyes (average VF 11.05±1.91, average time interval 0.76 years) while the low-frequency group comprised 57 eyes (average VF 6.95±0.6, average time interval 1.21 years). The analysis of the MD trend in the high-frequency patients showed significance (P=0.017); the low-frequency group did not show statistical significance (P=0.08). CONCLUSION: The number of VFs in a determined time interval was not significant. However, a greater frequency of tests provides a predictive evaluation of the rate of progression of early manifestation open-angle glaucoma

CONSIDERAZIONI CLINICO STATISTICHE SULLE VARIAZIONI DELLA PRESSIONE INTRAOCULARE IN RAPPORTO AL SESSO E ALL'ETA'

Gli Autori si sono proposti in questo studio di valutare statisticamente l'andamento della pressione oculare in relazione al sesso ed all'età. La popolazione in esame (modalità di raccolta dei dati e metodi statistici usati sono già stati riferiti), è stata divisa in 3 gruppi di età per ogni sesso, 25-35 anni, 35-45 anni età fertile - oltre 50 anni - menopausa. Il confronto dei valori medi del tono oculare dei vari gruppi ha messo in evidenza una notevole variazione pressoria nel sesso femminile all'età della menopausa. I risultati statistici suggeriscono una correlazione tra l'influenza ormonale sessuale e la pressione oculare.This study analyzes with statistical criteria, the behaviour of ocular pressure in relation to sex and age. The tested population has been divided into three groups according to age and sex as follows: 25-35 years, 35-45 years - fertile age, above 50 years - menopause (Modality of collecting data and statistical methodology have been already presented). The comparison of the average values of the ocular pressure among the various groups shows a noticeable variation in pressure in the menopause age group. The results of the statistical study suggests relationship between the influence of sex hormones and ocular pressure