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Abstract #6109 Published in IGR 2-2
Nocturnal intraocular pressures in patients with normal-tension glaucoma and sleep apnea syndrome
Goldblum D; Mathis J; Bohnke M; Bassetti C; Hess CW; Gugger M; Mojon DSKlinische Monatsblätter für Augenheilkunde 2000; 216: 246-249
BACKGROUND: About half of all normal-tension glaucoma patients and about one-third of all primary open-angle glaucoma patients have sleep apnea syndrome. If sleep apnea syndrome causes some cases of glaucoma, the optic nerve damage could result from repetitive nocturnal hypoxias or from repetitive intraocular pressure elevations at the end of the apneas. In this study, the authors determined the intraocular pressure at the end of long apneas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In three patients with sleep apnea syndrome and normal-tension glaucoma, the authors recorded in a sleep laboratory, during at least six hours of sleep, their respiration (oxymetry, nasal and oral air flow, and inductive plethysmography). The intraocular pressure was measured with a pneumatonometer at predetermined times and compared to the values measured at the end of prolonged apnea. RESULTS: The intraocular pressure during normal respiration was 19.5 ± 1.0 mmHg OD and 19.3 ± 1.7 mmHg OS in the first patient, 25.0 ± 4.2 and 25.5 ± 4.9 mmHg in the second patient, and 22 ± 1.0 and 21.3 ± 1.3 mmHg in the third patient, respectively. At the end of prolonged apnea, the intraocular pressure was 19.0 ± 0.0 mmHg OD and 19.5 ± 0.7 mmHg OS in the first patient, 26.5 ± 0.6 and 26.8 ± 0.1 mmHg in the second patient, and 20.0 ± 0.0 and 21.0 ± 0.0 mmHg in the third patient, respectively. The difference between intraocular pressures during normal respiration and at the end of prolonged apnea was not significant (p > 0.1 for each comparison, paired t test). CONCLUSIONS: The authors did not find an increase of intraocular pressure at the end of prolonged apnea compared to periods of normal respiration in patients with sleep apnea syndrome and normal-tension glaucoma. If sleep apnea syndrome causes some cases of glaucoma, it seems more probable that the the optic nerve is damaged by the repetitive hypoxias. Alternatively, an unknown factor might induce both sleep apnea syndrome and normal-tension glaucoma. LA: German
Dr. D. Goldblum, Augenklinik, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, 9007 St Gallen, Switzerland
Classification:
9.2.4 Normal pressure glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.2 Primary open angle glaucomas)
