Comparison of macular ganglion cell complex thickness to total retinal thickness ratio between Hungarian and Japanese eyes

Abstract

Purpose: To compare macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness to total retinal thickness (G/T) ratio and the potential influence of race, age, macular outer retinal (OR) thickness, refractive error, intraocular pressure (IOP), mean deviation (MD) and disc area on GCC thickness between healthy European Caucasian and Japanese subjects.

Methods: GCC, OR and total retinal thickness were measured with the RTVue-100 Fourier-domain optical coherence tomograph (OCT) in one eye of 102 healthy subjects (52 Hungarian and 50 Japanese) 24-80 years of age. The χ (2) test, analysis of covariance and multiple regression analysis were used.

Results: There was no significant difference in average, superior and inferior GCC thickness and G/T ratio between the two ethnic groups (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). In the Japanese eyes, a significant positive relationship between GCC thickness and OR thickness was found (P < 0.001). This was not seen in the Hungarian eyes (P = 0.07). No significant relationship between GCC thickness and age, refractive error, IOP, MD or disc area was found for either group.

Conclusions: GCC thickness and G/T ratio do not differ between healthy Hungarian and Japanese eyes. In contrast, the difference found for the relationship of GCC and OR between Japanese and Hungarian eyes suggests that in the macular retina there are ethnically related differences that need to be considered when any new macular OCT parameter is proposed for the diagnosis of glaucoma.