Nail bed haemorrhage strongly linked to optic disc haemorrhage occurrence

Nail bed haemorrhage and nail capillary loss is strongly linked to optic disc haemorrhage, states an investigation published in Archives of Ophthalmology.

Dr Hae-Young Lopilly Park et al., Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea, conducted a study on 108 glaucoma patients and 38 control patients. Of the patients studied, 22 presented with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 86 had normal tension glaucoma (NTG). All patients underwent a full ophthalmic assessment and a physical examination.

Each patient was questioned about a history of systemic symptoms and then subjected to nailfold capillaroscopy. Ocular characteristics associated with nailfold capillaroscopy were determined by the x2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Of the glaucoma patients studied, 55.6% presented with dilated vessels, 35.2% experienced loss of capillaries and 19.4% had nailbed haemorrhages by nail capillaroscopy.

Avascular areas and nailbed haemorrhages were strongly connected to disc haemorrhages. However, there were no significant differences of the links between patients with normal tension glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma.