A Comparative Analysis of Ganglion Cell Complex Parameters in Nigerian Negroes with Glaucoma and Macular Disease

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the differences between ganglion cell complex (GCC) of primary open angle glaucoma and ocular disorders affecting the macula.
Methods and Materials: Forty-seven patients diagnosed with primary open angle glaucoma and 27 patients with macular diseases of different aetiology were enrolled in this pilot study. All patients underwent direct GCC analysis with the optical coherence tomographic scan, using the Optovue Fourier Domain RTVue-version. A comparison of the average GCC thickness, focal loss volume (FLV) and the global loss volume (GLV) of the
two groups was made.
Results: A total of 74 pairs of eyes were included in the study. This comprised 48 males and 26 females with a mean age of 53.8 ± 11.3 among glaucoma patients and 59.8 ± 9.8 among patients with macular disease. Eyes with macular disease (33.3%) and eyes with glaucoma
(42.6%) had abnormal average GCC parameters. However, the mean average GCC value was significantly higher in eyes with macular disease (87.50 ± 20.73) when compared with eyes with glaucoma (76.55
± 12.51) (p=0.01). A significantly higher percentage of eyes with macular disease (43.3%) had GLV values within normal range when compared with eyes with glaucoma (21.3%) (p=0.03). Abnormal FLV values were seen in both eyes with macular disease (83.3%) and eyes with glaucoma (80.9%) but the differences were not of statistical significance (p= 0.24).
Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrated abnormal OCT GCC values in eyes with glaucoma as well as in eyes with macular disease. However, eyes with macular disease had significantly higher mean average GCC parameters but GLV parameters that were within normal values.

Key words: glaucoma, macular disease, ganglion cell complex