Peripapillary Atrophy Area as an Indicator of Glaucomatous Structural and Functional Progression.

PURPOSE

To determine whether peripapillary atrophy (PPA) area is an indicator of glaucomatous structural and functional damage and progression.

METHODS

In this retrospective longitudinal analysis from ongoing prospective study we qualified 71 eyes (50 subjects) with glaucoma. All subjects had a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, visual field (VF), and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) testing in at least three visits. PPA was manually delineated on en face OCT optic nerve head scans, while observing the corresponding cross-sectional images, as the hyper-reflective area contiguous with the optic disc.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up duration was 4.4 ± 1.4 years with an average of 6.8 ± 2.2 visits. At baseline, PPA area was significantly associated only with VF's mean deviation (MD; P = 0.041), visual field index (VFI; P = 0.041), superior ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GCIPL; P = 0.011), and disc area (P = 0.011). Longitudinally, PPA area was negatively and significantly associated with MD (P = 0.015), VFI (P = 0.035), GCIPL (P = 0.009), superior GCIPL (P = 0.034), and disc area (P = 0.007, positive association).

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal change in PPA area is an indicator of glaucomatous structural and functional progression but PPA area at baseline cannot predict future progression.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE

Longitudinal changes in peripapillary atrophy area measured by OCT can be an indicator of structural and functional glaucoma progression.