Relationship between nailfold capillary morphology and retinal thickness and retinal vessel density in primary open‐angle and angle‐closure glaucoma

Abstract

To compare the morphological characteristics of the nailfold capillaries in glaucoma patients with those in healthy subjects. To evaluate the relationship of nailfold capillary morphology with retinal thickness and retinal vessel density in patients with primary open-angle (POAG) and primary angleclosure glaucoma (PACG). Methods: Fifty-one patients with normal-tension glaucoma, thirty-two patients with hypertension glaucoma, thirty-two PACG patients and sixty-one healthy subjects were included in this cross-sectional study. Patients with connective tissue diseases or taking anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents were excluded. Nailfold capillaroscopy, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography were used to evaluate the nailfold capillary morphology, retinal thickness and retinal vessel density, respectively. Results: Nailfold capillary morphological features, including lower capillary density, greater tortuosity, more dilated capillaries >50 lm and more avascular zones >100 lm, were more common in POAG and PACG patients than in control subjects (all p < 0.001). In the POAG group, nailfold vessel density was negatively correlated with ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness (odds ratio [OR] = 0.908, p = 0.010) and radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) density (OR = 0.787, p = 0.025). Tortuosity degree was negatively associated with RPC density (OR = 0.804, p = 0.016). In the PACG group, no evident relationship between nailfold capillary morphology and retinal thickness or retinal vessel density was detected (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Nailfold capillary bed abnormalities were observed in both POAG and PACG patients. The nailfold capillary features, especially microvascular density and tortuosity degree, had a significant association with GCC thickness and RPC density in subjects with POAG but not in those with PACG.

Paired Optic Nerve Microvasculature and Nailfold Capillary Measurements in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

“…Our results are based on reproducible capillary density measurement techniques, such as the 90-degree rule, 38 , 39 and are substantiated by prior studies, which suggest lower nailfold capillary density and more avascular zones in patients with POAG compared with controls. 26 , 48 Therefore, we believe that nailfold capillary abnormalities indicate systemic vascular pathology in POAG. Moreover, these systemic findings are present with ophthalmic microvasculature abnormalities in the same cohort of participants, despite structural differences between the two systems.…”

“…A recent study investigated the relationship between nailfold capillary abnormalities and retinal VD in patients with POAG and primary angle closure glaucoma using logistic regression analysis and found nailfold capillary abnormalities, such as lower capillary density, greater tortuosity, and more avascular zones, in these patients compared with controls. 48 All three studies suggest potential correlation between these two vascular systems, but none quantified and correlated the function of both microvascular systems. Our study directly quantified VD and flow in both microvascular beds and demonstrated positive correlations between the two vascular systems in the same cohort of participants.…”

Vascular parameters and endothelin-1 measurements in glaucoma patients with low- and high-tension optic disc hemorrhages

“…This lack of difference corroborates the findings of another study that reported no differences in capillaroscopy findings comparing glaucomatous patients with and without DH history 37 . This observation can be explained by the fact that the presence of glaucoma itself (regardless of the glaucoma type) is already related to NC abnormalities, as reported by several studies 22,[38][39][40] .…”

Nailfold capillaroscopy alterations in androgenetic alopecia: A cross-sectional study

“…Nailfold capillaroscopy is mainly used for rheumatic conditions; 13 it may also be used in some non-rheumatic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, glaucoma, psoriasis and alopecia areata. [14][15][16][17] Earlier studies have found that morphologically abnormal nailfold capillaries are not rare in healthy individuals. 18,19 Tortuous and crossed capillaries (also known as meandering capillaries) were common in the present work, and no significant difference between the androgenetic alopecia group and healthy controls was found.…”