Measurement of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter to Detect Increased Intracranial Pressure in Hypertensive Patients

• Main Authors: Cesareddin Dikmetaş, Mehmet Ergin, Çiğdem Savaş Duman, Mustafa Gülpembe, Tarık Acar, Kenan Yavuz, Başar Cander, Sadık Girişgin, Sedat Koçak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2020-03-01
• Series: Eurasian Journal of Emergency Medicine
• Subjects: hypertension; intracranial pressure; optic nerve sheath diameter; ultrasonography
• Online Access: http://akademikaciltip.com/archives/archive-detail/article-preview/measurement-of-optic-nerve-sheath-diameter-to-dete/36738

Aim:Our aim was to measure optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSDM) by ultrasonography and to detect whether ONSDM reflected intracranial pressure in hypertensive patients.Materials and Methods:This observational study was performed prospectively in 149 individuals, 77 (51.7%) of whom were female, including 54 hypertensive-symptomatic patients, 45 hypertensive-asymptomatic patients, and 50 healthy volunteers referred to Emergency Medicine Service of Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Medicine. Blood pressure was measured on the right and left upper extremities by the same sphygmomanometer following at least five minutes of rest. ONSDM was recorded. All measurements of hypertensive-symptomatic patients were repeated at 30th minute following antihypertensive therapy.Results:Moderate-to-well statistically significant correlations were determined between initial mean systolic blood pressure and ONSDM (rho=0.629, p=0.001) as well as between initial mean diastolic blood pressure and ONSDM (rho=0.561, p=0.001) in all study groups. Statistically significant differences were determined between the mean pre- and post-treatment systolic and diastolic blood pressures as well as the mean pre- and post-treatment ONSDM values of 40 patients who received antihypertensive therapy (p=0.000, p=0.000, p=0.000, respectively).Conclusion:Ultrasonographic ONSDM reflected increased intracranial pressure in hypertensive patients. The reduction of intracranial pressure was also detected by the same method following antihypertensive treatment. Ultrasonographic ONSDM along with clinical findings and blood pressure measurements may be used for evaluation of response to treatment and deciding on further imaging.