Predictors of Glaucomatous Progression in Individuals with Small and Large Optic Discs

To identify factors associated with glaucomatous progression in individuals with small and large optic discs.

Retrospective review.

4505 individuals with glaucoma at UCLA; 233 (59.7%) with small discs, 157 (40.3%) with large discs.

Small and large disc sizes were defined by OCT or Heidelberg Retinal Tomography as disc area ≤ 5% (≤ 1.3 mm²) and ≥ 95% (≥ 2.9 mm²), respectively. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, systemic comorbidities, glaucoma type, ocular comorbidities, and ocular surgery. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of visual field (VF) progression in individuals with small and large discs and predictors of large versus small discs.

The VF deterioration with mean deviation, pointwise linear regression, and glaucoma rate index (GRI); large vs. small disc.

In individuals with small discs, Asian versus non-Hispanic White ethnicity was associated with increased progression (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12-14.59 for GRI). Higher intraocular pressure (IOP) range and peak were associated with increased progression in individuals with both small discs (aOR = 1.12; 95% CI = 1.00-1.27 and aOR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.00-1.10 per 1 mmHg for range and peak with GRI) and large discs (aOR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.12-1.66 and aOR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.03-1.20 per 1 mmHg for range and peak with GRI). Multivariable predictors of having large vs. small discs included vasospastic phenotype (aOR = 2.58; 95% CI = 1.35-5.19) and Black (aOR = 20.46; 95% CI = 8.33-61.84), Hispanic/Latino (aOR = 9.65; 95% CI = 4.14-25.39), Asian (aOR = 4.87; 95% CI = 2.96-8.1), and other (aOR = 2.79; 95% CI = 1.69-4.63) versus non-Hispanic White ethnicity.

Increased odds of glaucomatous progression were associated with Asian vs. non-Hispanic White ethnicity in glaucoma patients with small optic discs, as well as with increased IOP range and peak in those with small and large discs. Individuals with a vasospastic phenotype and those from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds had increased odds of having large vs. small optic discs. Further characterization of discernible phenotypes would improve disease prognostication and help individualize glaucoma treatment.

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