Purpose: To present a method to analyze circadian intraocular pressure (IOP) patterns in glaucoma patients and suspects undergoing repeated continuous 24-hour IOP monitoring.
Methods: Forty patients with established (n = 19) or suspected glaucoma (n = 21) underwent ambulatory 24-hour IOP monitoring on two sessions 1 week apart using a contact lens sensor (CLS). The CLS provides its output in arbitrary units (a.u.). A modified cosinor rhythmometry method was adapted to the CLS output to analyze 24-hour IOP patterns and their reproducibility. Nonparametric tests were used to study differences between sessions 1 and 2 (S1 and S2). Patients pursued their routine daily activities and their sleep was uncontrolled. CLS data were used to assess sleep times.
Results: Complete 24-hour data from both sessions were available for 35 patients. Mean (SD) age of the patients was 55.8 ± 15.5 years. The correlation of the cosinor fitting and measured CLS values was r = 0.38 (Spearman r; P < 0.001) for S1, r = 0.50 (P < 0.001) for S2, whereas the correlation between S1 and S2 cosinor fittings was r = 0.76 (P < 0.001). Repeated nocturnal acrophase was seen in 62.9% of patients; 17.1% of patients had no repeatable acrophase. The average amplitude of the 24-hour curve was 143.6 ± 108.1 a.u. (S1) and 130.8 ± 68.2 a.u. (S2) (P = 0.936).
Conclusions: Adapting the cosinor method to CLS data is a useful way for modeling the rhythmic nature of 24-hour IOP patterns and evaluating their reproducibility. Repeatable nocturnal acrophase was seen in 62.9% of patients. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01319617.).