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Natural History of Open-Angle Glaucoma.

Heijl, Anders LU ; Bengtsson, Boel LU ; Hyman, Leslie and Leske, M Cristina (2009) In Ophthalmology 116. p.2271-2276
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This article, based on the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT), provides prospective natural history data on progression of glaucomatous field defects in 3 of the most common glaucoma types. DESIGN: Cohort of EMGT patients randomized to the untreated control group and followed up to the time of progression, when treatment could be initiated. PARTICIPANTS: We evaluated 118 control patients: 46 with high-tension glaucoma (HTG), 57 with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), and 15 with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG). METHODS: Visual fields were tested every 3 months with the Humphrey 30-2 Full Threshold test program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Linear regression analyses of the perimetric mean deviation (MD) values were performed, and the... (More)
OBJECTIVE: This article, based on the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT), provides prospective natural history data on progression of glaucomatous field defects in 3 of the most common glaucoma types. DESIGN: Cohort of EMGT patients randomized to the untreated control group and followed up to the time of progression, when treatment could be initiated. PARTICIPANTS: We evaluated 118 control patients: 46 with high-tension glaucoma (HTG), 57 with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), and 15 with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG). METHODS: Visual fields were tested every 3 months with the Humphrey 30-2 Full Threshold test program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Linear regression analyses of the perimetric mean deviation (MD) values were performed, and the rate of progression was defined as the regression coefficient in decibels per year. Percentages of progressed eyes and time to progression were determined using EMGT event-based predetermined progression criteria derived from Glaucoma Change Probability Maps. RESULTS: The median and interquartile rates of visual function loss were -0.40 (1.05) dB/year overall and -0.46 (1.61) in HTG, -0.22 (0.65) in NTG, and -1.13 (6.13) in PEXG. Thus, interpatient variability was large. Mean rates were considerably higher than medians: -1.08 dB/year overall, -1.31 in HTG, -0.36 in NTG, and -3.13 in PEXG. Differences in median visual function progression rates among groups were statistically significant (NTG vs. HTG, P = 0.003; PEXG vs. non-PEXG, P<0.001). Progression was considerably and significantly faster in older than in younger patients (P = 0.002). By 6 years, 68% of patients had progressed overall, 74% of those with HTG, 56% of those with NTG, and 93% of those with PEXG (P = 0.012). Median time to progression also differed considerably among groups: 19.5 months in PEXG, 44.8 months in HTG, and particularly 61.1 months in NTG (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this 6-year follow-up study, the median untreated rate of progression corresponded to advancing from normal visual function to blindness in approximately 70 years, whereas on the basis of the mean rate, visual function would show the same deterioration in approximately 25 years. Large differences existed among patients and different glaucoma types, with PEXG progressing considerably faster than HTG, and NTG progressing at the lowest rate. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Ophthalmology
volume
116
pages
2271 - 2276
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000272579200002
  • pmid:19854514
  • scopus:70549112634
  • pmid:19854514
ISSN
1549-4713
DOI
10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.06.042
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d16c6fc2-1819-4740-b493-85a0b80208ea (old id 1500002)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19854514?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:54:37
date last changed
2022-05-09 02:36:03
@article{d16c6fc2-1819-4740-b493-85a0b80208ea,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: This article, based on the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial (EMGT), provides prospective natural history data on progression of glaucomatous field defects in 3 of the most common glaucoma types. DESIGN: Cohort of EMGT patients randomized to the untreated control group and followed up to the time of progression, when treatment could be initiated. PARTICIPANTS: We evaluated 118 control patients: 46 with high-tension glaucoma (HTG), 57 with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), and 15 with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG). METHODS: Visual fields were tested every 3 months with the Humphrey 30-2 Full Threshold test program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Linear regression analyses of the perimetric mean deviation (MD) values were performed, and the rate of progression was defined as the regression coefficient in decibels per year. Percentages of progressed eyes and time to progression were determined using EMGT event-based predetermined progression criteria derived from Glaucoma Change Probability Maps. RESULTS: The median and interquartile rates of visual function loss were -0.40 (1.05) dB/year overall and -0.46 (1.61) in HTG, -0.22 (0.65) in NTG, and -1.13 (6.13) in PEXG. Thus, interpatient variability was large. Mean rates were considerably higher than medians: -1.08 dB/year overall, -1.31 in HTG, -0.36 in NTG, and -3.13 in PEXG. Differences in median visual function progression rates among groups were statistically significant (NTG vs. HTG, P = 0.003; PEXG vs. non-PEXG, P&lt;0.001). Progression was considerably and significantly faster in older than in younger patients (P = 0.002). By 6 years, 68% of patients had progressed overall, 74% of those with HTG, 56% of those with NTG, and 93% of those with PEXG (P = 0.012). Median time to progression also differed considerably among groups: 19.5 months in PEXG, 44.8 months in HTG, and particularly 61.1 months in NTG (P&lt;0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this 6-year follow-up study, the median untreated rate of progression corresponded to advancing from normal visual function to blindness in approximately 70 years, whereas on the basis of the mean rate, visual function would show the same deterioration in approximately 25 years. Large differences existed among patients and different glaucoma types, with PEXG progressing considerably faster than HTG, and NTG progressing at the lowest rate. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.}},
  author       = {{Heijl, Anders and Bengtsson, Boel and Hyman, Leslie and Leske, M Cristina}},
  issn         = {{1549-4713}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{2271--2276}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Ophthalmology}},
  title        = {{Natural History of Open-Angle Glaucoma.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5206087/1508226.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ophtha.2009.06.042}},
  volume       = {{116}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}