Evaluation of the relationship between glaucomatous disc subtypes and occurrence of disc hemorrhage and glaucoma progression in open angle glaucoma

To compare the occurrence of disc hemorrhages (DH) and glaucoma progression in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients with different glaucomatous disc types. Prospective, hospital-based, observational cohort study. OAG patients examined between 2000 and 2005, whose discs were classified as typical myopic glaucomatous (MG), generalized enlargement of cup (GE), or focal glaucomatous (FG) disc type were included and followed for 5 years. The first occurrence of DH during follow-up was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier analysis and difference in DH occurrence based on glaucomatous disc type using the Cox proportional-hazards model to adjust for effects of confounding factors. For inter-group comparison of glaucoma progression, the change rate of the mean deviation, Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study scores, and fundus photographs were used. Thirty-nine patients with MG-, 18 with FG-, and 17 with GE-disc types were included. No significant inter-group difference was seen in the rate of glaucoma progression. The five-year probability of DH occurrence was much lower with MG- than with FG- or GE-disc types (P < 0.0220). The central corneal thickness (P = 0.0024) and mean intraocular pressure and its variations (P = 0.0450, 0.0219) contributed to DH occurrence. The MG-disc type demonstrated a much lower DH occurrence during follow-up than other disc types.