Abstract
BackgroundBesides intraocular pressure, vascular factors play a role in the pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. One of these potential vascular factors is Flammer syndrome. The purpose of the present study was to determine in a Korean population whether signs and symptoms of Flammer syndrome occur more often in normal tension glaucoma patients than in control subjects.MethodsTwo hundred forty-six normal tension glaucoma patients and 1116 control subjects responded to a multiple-choice questionnaire asking about 15 signs and symptoms of Flammer syndrome.ResultsSeven of the 15 signs and symptoms of Flammer syndrome (increased drug sensitivity, good smell perception, reversible skin blotches, tinnitus, long sleep onset time, tendency to perfectionism, and cold hands/feet) were significantly more often positive in normal tension glaucoma patients than in controls. Six additional signs and symptoms (migraines, low blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, increased pain sensation, and feeling cold) also occurred more often, but did not reach statistical significance. Only two items (low body weight and reduced feeling of thirst) were more frequently (not significant) positive in the controls.ConclusionThere is an association between normal tension glaucoma and Flammer syndrome. If future studies confirm this relationship, treatment of Flammer syndrome may help to prevent normal tension glaucoma or to slow down its progression.
Highlights
Glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) is characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell loss, typical tissue remodeling of the optic nerve head, and visual field defects.Glaucoma patients, those with normal tension glaucoma (NTG), have reduced ocular blood flow (OBF) [1,2,3,4,5,6]
There is an association between normal tension glaucoma and Flammer syndrome
The presence of the primary component is supported by the facts that reduced OBF often precedes GON [2, 4], and the vascular dysfunction is not confined to the eye but can be observed, for example, in the nailfold capillaries [7]
Summary
Glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) is characterized by progressive retinal ganglion cell loss, typical tissue remodeling of the optic nerve head, and visual field defects Glaucoma patients, those with normal tension glaucoma (NTG), have reduced ocular blood flow (OBF) [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Low blood pressure [8], increased response to cold [9], and increased level of the vasoconstrictor endothelin in the circulating blood [10] support the assumption of the role of vascular dysregulation Such a dysfunction is often caused by a primary vascular dysregulation [11, 12], the core vascular. Methods Two hundred forty-six normal tension glaucoma patients and 1116 control subjects responded to a multiplechoice questionnaire asking about 15 signs and symptoms of Flammer syndrome
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