AIM:To investigate the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness and the macular ganglion cell complex(GCC)thickness in primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)eyes and to compare them with normal control eyes, and to evaluate the diagnostic ability of peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness in POAG.

METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study consisting of 56 POAG patients. The control group consisted of 60 normal subjects(60 eyes)were matched in terms of age, sex, diopter and axial length. The peripapillary RNFL thickness and the macular GCC thickness of POAG eyes and normal control eyes were measured and compared by RTVue-100 optical coherence tomography(OCT). To assess the diagnostic utility of peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness in POAG, receiver operating characteristic curves(ROC)and areas under the ROC(AUC)were used.

RESULTS:The POAG eyes had a thinner peripapillary RNFL and macular GCC than the control eyes at all the regions(P<0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that the peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness was significantly thinner in association with the POAG diagnosis. ROC and AUC analysis showed that the best AUC parameters were C/D(AUC=0.936; 95% CI=0.903, 0.964)and superior RNFL thickness(AUC=0.910; 95% CI=0.889, 9.455). The AUC of nasal RNFL thickness, inferior RNFL thickness, temporal RNFL thickness, superior GCC thickness, inferior GCC thickness, and average GCC thickness were all above 0.8 with a good diagnostic value.

CONCLUSION:The peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness in POAG eyes are thinner than that of normal control eyes. Decreased peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness may be associated with POAG. The peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular GCC thickness have a good diagnostic value.