Correlation between optical coherence tomography results and the Scoring Tool for Assessing Risk (STAR) score in patients with ocular hypertension.

Purpose: To correlate retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT) with the Scoring Tool for Assessing Risk (STAR) threshold in patients with ocular hypertension (OH).

Methods: The study included 92 patients with OH. They were divided into low-risk (n=32), moderate-risk (n=36), and high-risk (n=24) groups according to STAR criteria. RNFL and ONH OCT protocols were used to evaluate all study participants. Major parameters for RNFL analysis were average RNFL thickness, superior quadrant, nasal quadrant, inferior quadrant, temporal quadrant, and segmental thickness per 12 o'clock hour position. ONH parameters were vertical integrated rim area (VIRA), horizontal integrated rim width (HIRW), disc diameter, disc area, cup area, rim area, cup-to-disc (C/D) area ratio, horizontal C/D ratio, and vertical C/D ratio.

Results: The highest area under receiver operating characteristics curves for distinguishing the high-risk group from the other groups were vertical C/D ratio (0.88), C/D area (0.88), VIRA (0.87), and HIRW (0.81) for ONH parameters, and inferior (0.82) and 6 o'clock hour position (0.77) for peripapillary RNFL thickness measurements.

Conclusions: Inferior average, 6 o'clock hour position analyses for RNFL measurement, and VIRA, HIRW, C/D area, and vertical C/D ratio for ONH measurement were the best parameters for STAR staging in patients with OH.