Irina Evgen’yevna Panova
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Elena Mikhaylovna Ermak
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Tat’yana Anatol’yevna Shaimova
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Aleksey Yur’yevich Galin
Purpose. To determine the characteristics of anatomical retinal changes and of the choroidal blood flow in patients with combined pathology: age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Materials and methods. We investigated two study groups (SG): SG1 - AMD in association with POAG, 113 patients; SG2 - AMD without glaucomatous nerve damage , 92 patients; mean age - 71.9 ± 9.3 years. Measurements of the neuro-sensory retina (NSR) thickness and of the ganglion cells complex (GCC) thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in manual regimen (42 eyes in SG1, 38 eyes in SG2) and the estimation of choroidal blood flow (HBF) by ultrasonography (18 eyes in SG1, 38 eyes in SG2) were performed in two areas: area I - 4 mm laterally to the optic nerve head; area II - 4 mm medially to the optic nerve head. Results. The GCC thickness in patients with combined pathology (SG1) was significantly lower than in patients with AMD (IG2) in the areas I and II; the thickness index of the GCC was significantly reduced in SG1 in areas I and II, whereas in SG2 this index was increased. Significant differences of HBF in areas I and II in SG1 were found, as well as reduced peak systolic flow velocity, the time-averaged maximum velocity of blood flow, maximum end-diastolic flow velocity, as compared with SG2. The index of peripheral resistance was reduced in SG1 in area I and increased in area II, whereas in SG2 it was increased in area I and reduced in area II. Conclusion. In patients with combined pathology - AMD and POAG - NSR thickness was reduced due to the thinning of the ganglion cell layer and the formation of an ischemic pattern of choroidal blood flow in the macula and medially to the optic nerve head.
Blood flow velocity measured using the Retinal Function Imager predicts successful ranibizumab treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: early prospective cohort study
