Ocular pneumoplethysmography can help in the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis.

Publication/Presentation Date

3-1-1989

Abstract

We compared the results of ocular pneumoplethysmography in nine patients who had a temporal artery biopsy (TAB) diagnostic of giant-cell arteritis with results of ocular pneumoplethysmography in nine patients with normal TAB results and 112 patients with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or central retinal artery occlusion assumed to be nonarteritic. The mean +/- SD ocular pulse amplitude with ocular pneumoplethysmography was 3.9 +/- 1.8 mm in the group with abnormal TAB results and 10.6 +/- 4.0 mm in the group with normal TAB results. Every patient with abnormal TAB results had an average calculated ocular blood flow less than 0.60 mL/min, while only one patient with normal TAB results fell in this range. The average calculated ocular blood flow had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 93.4% in the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis, with a diagnostic accuracy of 93.9%. These results rival the diagnostic accuracy of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and TAB results.

Volume

107

Issue

3

First Page

379

Last Page

381

ISSN

0003-9950

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Medical Specialties | Surgery

PubMedID

2923561

Department(s)

Department of Surgery

Document Type

Article

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