International Journal of Clinical Research

Objective: To investigate the distribution patten of intraocular pressure in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT) by 24 hours monitoring according to the midnight-noon ebb-flow theory. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 103 patients (206 eyes) hospitalized in Guangdong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2019 to January 2021, who accomplished a completed 24-hour intraocular pressure monitoring. According to the results of 24-hour intraocular pressure monitoring, optic nerve OCT, visual field and UBM, the patients were divided into 2 groups: POAG group, 63 patients (126 eyes) and OHT group, 40 cases (80 eyes). The distribution patten of intraocular pressure in both groups was analyzed based on twelve-shichen theory in Chinese traditional medicine. Results: The average IOP of the two groups peaked in different time point. The average IOP of the OHT group peaked at Chen-shi [7:00-9:00], 21.69±4.99mmHg, while that of the POAG group peaked at Wu-shi [11:00-13:00]. The mean peak IOP in OHT group was slightly higher than that in POAG group, but the difference was not statistically significant(p＞0.05). According to the fluctuation of diurnal IOP: the intraocular pressure fluctuation in POAG group (10.06±3.670 mmHg) slightly lower than OHT group (11.11±3.493 mmHg), however, there was no significant difference between POAG group and OHT group(p＞0.05). Conclusion: The peak time of IOP between the POAG group was different, suggesting that the change of IOP rhythm may be an important part of the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

POAG, OHT, 24-hour intraocular pressure, the midnight-noon ebb-flow theory