Glaucoma-like optic neuropathy in patients with intracranial tumours.

PURPOSE

To examine frequency and associated factors of glaucoma-like appearance of the optic nerve head in patients with intrasellar, suprasellar or parasellar tumours.

METHODS

This retrospective clinical observational study included patients who were consecutively treated for intrasellar tumours (n = 143), suprasellar tumours (n = 321), parasellar tumours (n = 36) or retrosellar tumour (n = 1), and all of whom had undergone fundus photography and full-threshold visual field examination. The tumour spectrum included 336 pituitary gland tumours, 32 meningiomas, 89 craniopharyngiomas, 9 chiasmal gliomas and 35 other types of tumours or lesions. An age-matched control group was formed from the population-based Beijing Eye Study. Using fundus photographs and visual field examinations, glaucoma was defined by a neuroretinal rim shape not following the ISNT rule (Disc glaucoma group) and by an abnormal rim shape plus glaucoma-like visual field defects (Field glaucoma group). Type and size of the tumours were assessed on neuroradiological images.

RESULTS

Five-hundred and one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Disc glaucoma and Field glaucoma were detected significantly more frequently in the study population [34 (6.8%) patients and 31 (6.3%) patients, respectively] than in the population-based control group of the same ethnicity (1.3% ± 0.5%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, presence of Disc glaucoma [odds ratio (OR) = 2.64; p = 0.016] and presence of Field glaucoma (OR = 3.01; p = 0.027) were significantly associated with tumour location [suprasellar > parasellar > intrasellar]. The same held true for tumour width (OR = 1.08; p = 0.002; and OR = 1.08; p = 0.003, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Large perisellar tumours were associated with a glaucoma-like appearance of the optic nerve head in eyes. It may diagnostically and pathogenetically be of importance.