Spontaneous retinal venous pulsation and disc hemorrhage in open-angle glaucoma

To investigate the relationship of spontaneous venous pulsation (SVP) with disc hemorrhage (DH) in open-angle glaucoma (OAG).

Spontaneous venous pulsation was assessed and compared using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope movie tool in 52 eyes of 52 patients with DH, and 111 eyes of 111 patients in without DH. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of DH.

The frequency of SVP was 60.7% in overall patients with OAG. The absence of SVP was associated with lower untreated IOP (OR 0.880; P = 0.045), longer axial length (OR 1.654; P = 0.007), and worse visual field mean deviation (OR 0.884; P = 0.035). The absence of SVP was not significantly associated with DH by logistic analysis (OR 0.844; P = 0.626). Better visual field mean deviation (OR 1.098; P = 0.043), lower untreated IOP (OR 0.886; P = 0.021), and the tendency to cold hands (OR 2.688; P = 0.032) were associated with DH.

In consecutive patients with OAG, the absence of SVP was not associated with DH.