African Americans with Glaucoma: Structure and Function

描述(申请人提供)：青光眼在黑人中发生的可能性是白人的5倍，是导致黑人不可逆转失明的主要原因。关于新的诊断测试，包括视觉功能特定测试以及视盘和视网膜神经纤维层成像，是否可以提高我们检测和监测黑人青光眼的能力，人们知之甚少。目的：系统地评估和比较黑人和白人参与者的新诊断技术。目的：比较正常、高眼压和青光眼黑人和白人受试者在视功能测试和视神经结构测量方面的差异，确定功能特异性视野检查在黑人中是否像白人那样显示出更好的诊断，并比较两个种族群体中青光眼损害的发展速度和模式。研究对象：125名正常人和275名患有青光眼的黑人。方法：黑人参与者将主要从纽约眼耳Infinnary和阿拉巴马大学青光眼服务中心招募。加州大学圣地亚哥分校的白人参与者是在单独的资金支持下招募的。加州大学圣地亚哥分校作为这项研究的数据处理、质量控制和分析的阅读中心。青光眼将进行为期5年的年度检查。视野将包括标准临床视野检查和两种特定功能的测试，即短波自动视野检查和倍频技术视野检查。视神经结构将通过立体眼底照相术进行定性评估，并使用海德堡视网膜断层扫描仪和光学相干断层扫描仪进行定量评估。黑人和白人将在每一项测试中以及在功能和结构的测量之间进行比较。重要性：在研究结束时，从业者应该了解白人和黑人患者在视觉功能和视神经结构方面的任何差异，以及在解释结果时如何解释这些差异。对种族对青光眼发展和进展的重要性的更好理解将导致对这一高危少数群体进行未来临床试验的更准确的终点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Glaucoma, which is 5 times more likely to occur in Blacks than Whites, is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Blacks. Little is known about whether new diagnostic tests including vision function specific tests and optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer imaging can improve our ability to detect and monitor glaucoma in the Black population. Purpose: To systematically assess and compare new diagnostic techniques in Black and White participants. Aims: To compare differences in visual function tests and measures of optic nerve structure in normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous Black and White participants, to determine whether function specific perimetry tests show improved diagnosis in Blacks as they do in Whites, and to compare the rate and patterns of progression of glaucomatous damage in the two racial groups. Participants: 125 normal and 275 Black participants with glaucoma. Methods: Black participants will be recruited primarily from New York Eye and Ear Infinnary and the University of Alabama Glaucoma Service. White participants are recruited under separate funding at UC San Diego. UC San Diego serves as a Reading Center for data processing, quality control and analysis for this study. The glaucomatous eyes will be followed with annual testing for 5 years. Visual fields will include standard clinical perimetry, and two function-specific tests, Short-wavelength Automated Perimetry and Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry. Optic nerve structure will be qualitatively evaluated with stereoscopic fundus photography and quantitatively using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph and Optical Coherence Tomograph. Comparisons between Blacks and Whites will be made on each test and between the measures of function and structure. Importance: At study conclusion, practitioners should understand any differences in visual function and optic nerve structure between White and Black patients and how to account for them when interpreting the results. A greater understanding of the importance of race for development and progression of glaucoma will result leading to more precise endpoints for future clinical trials with this at-risk minority population.