Correlation of optical coherence tomography and Doppler ultrasonography findings in pseudoexfoliation syndrome

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the correlation between the color Doppler imaging (CDI) results and parameters determined by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in cases with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XFS). 99 participants were included in this prospective study. Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), optic nerve head (ONH) measurements were recorded. Perfusions of the ophthalmic artery (OA) and central retinal artery (CRA) were determined and resistivity indices (RI) were calculated. No statistically significant differences were determined between the groups regarding the RNFL and ONH parameters. Only the minimum GCC thickness value was determined to be reduced in XFS group (n\u2009=\u200949) when compared to the controls (n\u2009=\u200950) (p\u2009=\u20090.018). The OA-RI and CRA-RI values of XFS group were significantly higher than the control group (p\u2009<\u20090.001 and p\u2009=\u20090.001). In XFSs, negative correlations were present between OA-RI and the minimum, average, inferior and inferotemporal regions of GCC thickness (r\u2009=\u2009− 0.448 p\u2009=\u20090.001, r\u2009=\u2009− 0.275 p\u2009=\u20090.040, r\u2009=\u2009− 0.295 p\u2009=\u20090.027, r\u2009=\u2009− 0.304 p\u2009=\u20090.024, respectively), and also between CRA-RI and minimum GCC values (r\u2009=\u2009− 0.317, p\u2009=\u20090.017). While a significant relationship was present between age and OA-RI and CRA-RI values in controls, no such correlation was present in XFSs. The vascular resistance increased with age in controls, whereas it was independent of age in XFS group. In XFSs, RIs correlated significantly with certain GCC values, but not with RNFL and ONH parameters. It would be beneficial to follow the XFS with CDI as it provides supportive parameters to GCC in order to recognize early changes in XFS.