1. ¹Augenklinik des Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Germany
2. ²Institut für Kreislaufforschung u. Sportmedizin, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln, Germany
3. ³Augenzentrum Alsdorf, Germany

Correspondence: Dr N Plange, Augenklinik des Universitätsklinikum Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany. E-mail: nplange@ukaachen.de

Received 5 April 2005; Revised 14 July 2005; Accepted 9 September 2005; Published online 20 October 2005.

Abstract

Systemic arterial hypotension, hypertension and altered ocular blood flow are known risk factors in glaucoma. In this study, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and controls to evaluate blood pressure variability. In all, 51 patients with NTG and 28 age-matched controls were included in this prospective study. A 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (SpaceLabs Medical Inc., Redmond, USA) was performed and systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures were measured every 30 min during daytime (0800–2000) and night time (0000–0600). To evaluate blood pressure variability a variability index was defined as the s.d. of blood pressure measurements. Night-time blood pressure depression ('dip') was calculated (in percent of the daytime blood pressures). Patients with NTG exhibited higher night-time diastolic (P=0.01) and mean arterial blood pressure values (P=0.02) compared to controls, whereas systolic blood pressure data were not significantly different. The variability indices of night-time systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure measurements were significantly increased in patients with NTG compared to controls (P<0.05). The night-time blood pressure depression of systolic (P=0.47), diastolic (P=0.11) and mean arterial blood pressures (P=0.28) was not significantly different between patients with NTG and controls. In conclusion, patients with NTG showed increased variability of night-time blood pressure measurements compared to controls. Increased fluctuation of blood pressure may lead to ocular perfusion pressure fluctuation and may cause ischaemic episodes at the optic nerve head.