Cross-Sectional Imaging Analysis of Epiretinal Membrane Involvement in Unilateral Open-Angle Glaucoma Severity

Abstract

PURPOSE. To determine the relevance of epiretinal membranes (ERMs) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and potential risk for glaucoma severity. METHODS. Sixty eyes of 30 patients with POAG who had a unilateral ERM were analyzed; 60 nonglaucomatous eyes of 30 patients with a unilateral ERM also were recruited in this institutional cross-sectional study. Patients underwent swept-source (SS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and visual field testing. Intraindividual differences in the SS-OCT retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) disc cupping area measurements and visual field outcomes were analyzed in the two groups. RESULTS. In patients with POAG, the mean circumpapillary RNFL thickness in the eyes with an ERM was 75.6 6 16.5 lm superiorly and 71.8 6 26.0 inferiorly compared with the fellow eyes without an ERM (87.2 6 23.6 lm, P ¼ 0.0061 and 81.3 6 27.7 lm, P ¼ 0.034, respectively). The areas of disc cupping and cup-to-disc ratio seen on OCT horizontal and vertical B-scans were larger in eyes with an ERM than in the fellow eyes without ERM (P ¼ 0.0004 and P ¼ 0.0011, respectively). The average mean deviations were À11.6 6 7.5 dB in the ERM group and À8.19 6 6.4 dB in the group with no ERM (P ¼ 0.029). Eyes with an ERM received more antiglaucoma eye drops (P ¼ 0.018). Those differences were not seen between eyes with an ERM or fellow eyes in patients without glaucoma. CONCLUSIONS. The presence of an ERM can be a potential risk factor for unilateral severity in eyes with POAG.

Association between Active Helicobacter pylori Infection and Glaucoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Related data indicate that H. pylori-specific antibody levels are significantly increased in both serum and in the aqueous humor of subjects with POAG and PEG [34]. Moreover, the level of titers of anti-H. pylori antibody might reflect the severity of glaucomatous damage; the titer of anti-H. pylori IgG antibody is correlated with the degree of vertical cupping, thus possibly reflecting the severity of glaucomatous damage [34,79,80]. Due to the observed strong correlation between aqueous and serum IgG levels in POAG and PEG, it has been hypothesized that H. pylori antibodies circulating in the bloodstream may enter aqueous circulation due to BOB disruption and may reach levels that are possibly sufficient to impact the development and progression of glaucoma.…”

The Effects of Epiretinal Membranes on the Treatment Outcomes of Dexamethasone Implants in Diabetic Macular Edema: A Real-Life Study

“…In a recent study, Sakimoto et al concluded that the presence of a unilateral ERM can be a potential risk factor for the unilateral severity of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). 23 We believe that further studies must be conducted to exhibit a possible relationship between ERMs and POAG or the steroid responder subgroup of the general population to enlighten this co-finding of ours.…”

Vitreomacular Interface Abnormalities and Glaucoma in an Elderly Population (The MONTRACHET Study)

“…23 A recent retrospective case-series study reported an association with epiretinal membranes and the severity of glaucoma. 34 We are not aware of any previous studies investigating the frequency of epiretinal membranes in a glaucoma population in the frame of a population-based study. However, a very recent case-control study reported a higher prevalence of epiretinal membranes in early glaucoma.…”