Skip to content

Pilot Study on Ambulatory Intraocular Pressure and Blood Pressure Monitoring in Glaucoma

Pilot Study on Ambulatory Intraocular Pressure and Blood Pressure Monitoring in Glaucoma

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01912599
Enrollment
36
Registered
2013-07-31
Start date
2013-07-31
Completion date
2014-07-31
Last updated
2016-06-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Normal-Tension Glaucoma

Keywords

Glaucoma, Intraocular Pressure, Blood Pressure

Brief summary

Purpose: To study the feasibility of a larger study by determining the tolerability of measuring blood pressure (BP) and intraocular pressure (IOP) over 24 hours in an ambulatory fashion with automatic devices. Participants: 20 patients with moderate to severe normal tension glaucoma and 20 non-glaucomatous patients. Procedures (methods): Both BP and IOP will be measured automatically in each participant in an ambulatory fashion during a 24-hour period. BP will be monitored using an appropriately sized cuff Oscar 2 (Suntech Medical, Morrisville, NC), which will be placed by a person trained in ambulatory BP monitoring devices. The device will be set up to automatically inflate every 30 minutes during the day and every hour during the night to measure and record the BP. IOP will be measured using Sensimed Triggerfish contact lens (Sensimed AG, Lausanne, Switzerland); the measurements will be taken and recorded every 10 minutes. The contact lens will be inserted by eye doctors (investigators). Both monitoring devices will be removed the following day.

Detailed description

Chart review will be performed to select potential glaucoma participants. These potential participants will be invited to participate in the study, either by phone or face-to-face during scheduled visits. Control participants will be invited from a registry that contains names of prior research participants who have agreed to be contacted about future studies (participants have worn ambulatory blood pressure monitor or ABPM in the past). Invited persons who agree to participate in the study will be scheduled for a screening visit at the eye clinic, during which they will learn more about the study. On the day of the screening visit, they will be provided with detailed information about the study, after which they will decide whether or not to participate. If they agree, they will sign the consent form. The screening visit will then be conducted by the research personnel and will take place at the eye clinic in a designated closed office and will include measurement of visual acuity, assessment of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye, measurement of IOP by Goldmann applanation tonometry. If after the screening exam it is determined that they do not qualify for the study, they will be told why they are being excluded. Healthy controls as well as glaucomatous patients not on treatment will be fitted with the BP and IOP monitoring devices. Those who are on glaucoma medication will be asked to stop their medication starting the day following the screening visit for the duration detailed in the inclusion criteria, and be given an appointment for the for IOP and BP measurement. On the appointment day, they will be fitted the BP and IOP monitoring devices. The BP monitor will be set up to take the measurements automatically every 30 min during the day and every hour at night until the next morning. The IOP monitor will take measurements every 10 minutes during the 24-hour period. Both devices are computerized and record all the measurements and reading times. Patients will be required to return to the clinic the next morning for removal of the devices, after which there will be no further visits. 1. This study will provide for the first time information on the safety, tolerance, and acceptability of the two devices used together. It will also provide preliminary information on the reasons why people may drop out of the study, and information about the relationship between IOP, BP, and OPP in patients with normal tension glaucoma and in healthy controls. 2. IOP will be measured with the Sensimed Triggerfish, which is a disposable silicone contact lens embedded with a wireless sensor. The sensing resistive gauge in the device is circular around the center of the lens and is placed over a circumference of 11.5 mm in diameter. This corresponds to the corneoscleral junction position, where maximum corneal deformation occurs as a result of changes in IOP. A soft patch containing the receiving antenna will be applied around the eye and transmits the information via wire to the recorder that the patient will wear around the waist. The patient can continue to wear spectacles during monitoring. The device records a total of 144 measurements over a 24-hour period. Measurements are taken every 10 min for a total duration of 1 min. The results obtained are presented in an arbitrary unit and not mm Hg. In this study, tonometry will be performed using radiofrequency waves at 27 MHz from the external antenna, which is embedded in the patch applied around the patient's eye.

Interventions

IOP will be measured with the Sensimed Triggerfish, which is a disposable silicone contact lens embedded with a wireless sensor. The sensing resistive gauge in the device is circular around the center of the lens and is placed over a circumference of 11.5 mm in diameter. This corresponds to the corneoscleral junction position, where maximum corneal deformation occurs as a result of changes in IOP. A soft patch containing the receiving antenna will be applied around the eye and transmits the information via wire to the recorder that the patient will wear around the waist. The patient can continue to wear spectacles during monitoring. The device records a total of 144 measurements over a 24-hour period.

DEVICEBlood Pressure

Patients in both groups will be fitted with a blood pressure cuff that will measure pressures for 24 hours.

Sponsors

Sensimed AG
CollaboratorINDUSTRY
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* 1\) Patients with normal tension glaucoma * Age minimum: 18 years * Willingness to participate in the study and to sign the informed consent form. * Willingness to complete a screening visit and a study visit, both at the UNC eye clinic. * Established diagnosis of untreated or medically treated normal tension glaucoma irrespective of blood pressure level. Those currently treated with topical drops will only be included in the study if they accept to stop their medication according to the following plan: 1) Those treated with Alphagan, Combigan or Cosopt (or Trusopt, Azopt, Diamox, Neptazane) will be asked to stop their medication for a week, do the study for 24 hours, and then resume with their medication. 2) Those treated with Timolol or Xalatan (or Travatan, Lumigan) will be asked to stop their drops for one month, do the study for 24 hours, and then resume the medication regimen. The reason for this is that the study aims at investigating the relationship between blood pressure and intraocular pressure in untreated patients either for glaucoma or high blood pressure. The difference in duration of time during which patients will be off their glaucoma medication depends on the time it takes to clear the drug in the system. In both cases, glaucoma medication will be stopped from the day following the screening visit. 2\) Non-glaucomatous healthy controls * Age minimum: 18 years * Willingness to participate in the study and to sign a consent form * Willingness to complete a screening visit at UNC eye clinic * Normal eye examination

Exclusion criteria

* 1\) Patients with normal tension glaucoma * Age less than 18 years or greater than 80 years. * Patients with high intraocular pressure (\> 21 mmHg). * Patients who have had any type of glaucoma surgery in the past. * Non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy. * Intraocular surgery within the last 3 months. * Patients with uveitis * Ocular abnormalities preventing measurement of intraocular pressure by applanation * Patients on medication to treat high blood pressure will not be included in the study. * Patients with hyperthyroidism * Patients on medication that may raise blood pressure: i.e. systemic or topical steroids taken for 3 or more years for other chronic conditions; cholesterol lowering medications, specifically cholestyramine (Prevalite or Questran) or colestipol (Colestid); oral contraceptives that contain higher concentrations of estrogen, specifically: Ovral, Ogestrel, Demulen, Ovon, and Ortho-Novum; and the antidepressants trimipramine (Surmontil) and venlafaxine (Effexor). * Patients on estrogen taken for menopause because it may lower blood pressure * Patients not willing to stop their glaucoma medication temporarily * Patients with dry eye disease 2\) Control Patients * Age less than 18 years or greater than 80 years. * Patients with high intraocular pressure (\> 21 mmHg). * Patients who have had any type of glaucoma surgery in the past. * Non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy. * Intraocular surgery within the last 3 months. * Patients with uveitis * Ocular abnormalities preventing measurement of intraocular pressure by applanation * Patients on medication to treat high blood pressure will not be included in the study. * Patients with hyperthyroidism * Patients on medication that may raise blood pressure: i.e. systemic or topical steroids taken for 3 or more years for other chronic conditions; cholesterol lowering medications, specifically cholestyramine (Prevalite or Questran) or colestipol (Colestid); oral contraceptives that contain higher concentrations of estrogen, specifically: Ovral, Ogestrel, Demulen, Ovon, and Ortho-Novum; and the antidepressants trimipramine (Surmontil) and venlafaxine (Effexor). * Patients on estrogen taken for menopause because it may lower blood pressure * Patients with dry eye disease

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Arterial Pressure24 HoursThe blood pressure value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.
Intraocular Pressure24 HoursThe IOP provided is the average of all 144 measurements taken during the 24 hour period.
Mean Perfusion Pressure24 HoursThe value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.
Diastolic Pressure24 HoursThe value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.
Systolic Pressure24 HoursThe value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Non-Glaucomatous
Patients with no history of glaucoma. Subjects will be fitted with Sensimed Triggerfish for 24 observation of IOP and with a blood pressure monitor for 24 hour observation of blood pressure trends. Sensimed Triggerfish: IOP will be measured with the Sensimed Triggerfish, which is a disposable silicone contact lens embedded with a wireless sensor. The sensing resistive gauge in the device is circular around the center of the lens and is placed over a circumference of 11.5 mm in diameter. This corresponds to the corneoscleral junction position, where maximum corneal deformation occurs as a result of changes in IOP. A soft patch containing the receiving antenna will be applied around the eye and transmits the information via wire to the recorder that the patient will wear around the waist. The patient can continue to wear spectacles during monitoring. The device records a total of 144 measurements over a 24-hour period.
20
Glaucoma
Patients that are currently being treated for moderate to severe normal-tension glaucoma. Subjects will be fitted with Sensimed Triggerfish for 24 observation of IOP and with a blood pressure monitor for 24 hour observation of blood pressure trends. Sensimed Triggerfish: IOP will be measured with the Sensimed Triggerfish, which is a disposable silicone contact lens embedded with a wireless sensor. The sensing resistive gauge in the device is circular around the center of the lens and is placed over a circumference of 11.5 mm in diameter. This corresponds to the corneoscleral junction position, where maximum corneal deformation occurs as a result of changes in IOP. A soft patch containing the receiving antenna will be applied around the eye and transmits the information via wire to the recorder that the patient will wear around the waist. The patient can continue to wear spectacles during monitoring. The device records a total of 144 measurements over a 24-hour period.
16
Total36

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject01

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicGlaucomaTotalNon-Glaucomatous
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
8 Participants10 Participants2 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
8 Participants26 Participants18 Participants
Age, Continuous66.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.1
57.3 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14.8
50.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.3
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants2 Participants1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
8 Participants14 Participants6 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
7 Participants20 Participants13 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
16 participants36 participants20 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
7 Participants17 Participants10 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
9 Participants19 Participants10 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
7 / 203 / 16
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 200 / 16

Outcome results

Primary

Arterial Pressure

The blood pressure value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.

Time frame: 24 Hours

Population: Data for two glaucoma patients were excluded for analysis because~* In one patient the IOP recorder malfunctioned just two hours after set up, so data were not available for the entire 24 hours~* In the other patient, the wireless sensor was disconnected from the recorder in the middle if the night so data could not be recorded.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Non-GlaucomatousArterial Pressure100.9 mmHgStandard Deviation 23.6
GlaucomaArterial Pressure95.5 mmHgStandard Deviation 11.4
Primary

Diastolic Pressure

The value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.

Time frame: 24 Hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Non-GlaucomatousDiastolic Pressure85.7 mmHgStandard Deviation 9.3
GlaucomaDiastolic Pressure74.6 mmHgStandard Deviation 11.6
Primary

Intraocular Pressure

The IOP provided is the average of all 144 measurements taken during the 24 hour period.

Time frame: 24 Hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Non-GlaucomatousIntraocular Pressure17.6 mEqv.Standard Deviation 126.5
GlaucomaIntraocular Pressure179.2 mEqv.Standard Deviation 87.2
Primary

Mean Perfusion Pressure

The value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.

Time frame: 24 Hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Non-GlaucomatousMean Perfusion Pressure90.8 mmHgStandard Deviation 135.6
GlaucomaMean Perfusion Pressure62.4 mmHgStandard Deviation 12.7
Primary

Systolic Pressure

The value shown in the table is the mean of all measurements taken over the 24 hour period, so it is the average value.

Time frame: 24 Hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Non-GlaucomatousSystolic Pressure146.4 mmHgStandard Deviation 15.2
GlaucomaSystolic Pressure129.0 mmHgStandard Deviation 35.2

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026