Correlation of Peripapillary Atrophy with Optic Disc Cupping and Disc Hemorrhage in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

ABSTRACT

To investigate the correlation of peripapillary atrophy with optic disc dupping and disc hemorrhage in primary open angle glaucoma(POAG) patients, tomographic measurements were performed with Heidelberg Retina Tomograph(HRT, Heidelberg Engineering, Germany). We analyzed cup to disc area ratio(C/D ratio) and peripapillary atrophy to disc area ratio(P/D ratio) from 28 eyes of 14 POAG patients with peripapillary atrophy(Group A), only C/D ratio from 28 eyes of 14 POAG patients without peripapillary atrophy(Group B), and only P/D ratio from 28 eyes of non-glaucomatous subjects with peripapillary atrophy(Group C). Group A was subclassified into thos with disc hemorrhage (Group A-1) and those without dixd hemorrhage(Group A-2), and changes of visual field defects were also analyzed from each subgroup witn Humphrey automated perimetry (Allergan Humphrey, USA, C24-2) at the six-month follow-up. Cup to disc area ratio(0.54+/-0.160)in the Group A was signifcantly higher than that(0.406+/-0.130) in the Group B, and P/D ratio was higher in Group A(0.619+/-0.203) than in the Group C(0.484+/-0.130). P/D ratio was also higher in Group A-1(0.725+/-0.34) than in the Group A-2(0.605+/-0.273). There was no significant difference in mean deviation(M/D) and corrected pattern standard deviation(CPSD) between Group A-1 and Group A-2. The results led us to the conclusion that peripapillary atrophy had significant correlation with glaucomatous damage on optic disc and disc hemorrhage in glaucoma patients. Therefore more attention should be paid tod a glaucoma patient especially when he or she presents with peripapillary atrophy.