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The effect of nifedipine on retinal venous pressure of glaucoma patients with the Flammer-Syndrome

  • Glaucoma
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose was to measure the retinal venous pressure (RVP) in both eyes of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients before and 3 weeks after treatment with low-dosed Nifedipine.

Methods

This retrospective study included 20 POAG patients who were treated with Nifedipine (5 mg daily) and 20 untreated control POAG patients. In both the treated and untreated control group, a distinction was made between those patients who had the Flammer-Syndrome (FS) and those who did not. The RVP was measured in all patients bilaterally at baseline and 3 weeks later by means of contact lens ophthalmodynamometry and the RVP measurements of the treated POAG patients were compared to the RVPs of the untreated POAG controls. Ophthalmodynamometry is done by applying an increasing force on the eye via a contact lens. The minimum force required to induce a venous pulsation is called the ophthalmodynamometric force (ODF). The RVP is defined and calculated as the sum of ODF and intraocular pressure (IOP) [RVP = ODF + IOP].

Results

The RVP decreased significantly after 3 weeks in both eyes of patients treated with low-dosed Nifedipine compared to the untreated group (mean decrease of 12.5 mmHg (SD 12.5), P < 0.001). A larger response to therapy was found in patients with the FS compared to patients lacking the FS (mean decrease of 16.07 vs. 7.28 mmHg, confidence Interval (CI): 5.2 to 9.3 vs. 12.3 to 19.7; P < 0.001). No significant differences were accounted for in the IOP’s of the patients after treatment. In the untreated control group, no significant differences were accounted for either in the RVP or the IOP after 3 weeks.

Conclusions

Treatment with low-dosed Nifedipine decreases RVP in both eyes of glaucoma patients, particularly in those with the Flammer-Syndrome. This effect may be due to the partial inhibition of Endothelin-1 (ET-1) by Nifedipine.

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Conflict of Interest Statement

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria, educational grants, participation in speakers’ bureaus, membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest, expert testimony, or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Mittlere Strasse 91, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    L. Fang, S. Turtschi & Maneli Mozaffarieh

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  1. L. Fang
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Correspondence to Maneli Mozaffarieh.

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Fang, L., Turtschi, S. & Mozaffarieh, M. The effect of nifedipine on retinal venous pressure of glaucoma patients with the Flammer-Syndrome. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 253, 935–939 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-015-3001-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-015-3001-7

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