Full threshold vs. SITA in glaucomatous patients undergoing automated perimetry for the first time

PURPOSE: To compare the Full Threshold (FT) and SITA Standard (SS) strategies in glaucomatous patients undergoing automated perimetry for the first time. METHODS: Thirty-one glaucomatous patients who had never undergone perimetry underwent automated perimetry (Humphrey, program 30-2) with both FT and SS on the same day, with an interval of at least 15 minutes. The order of the examination was randomized, and only one eye per patient was analyzed. Three analyses were performed: a) all the examinations, regardless of the order of application; b) only the first examinations; c) only the second examinations. In order to calculate the sensitivity of both strategies, the following criteria were used to define abnormality: glaucoma hemifield test (GHT) outside normal limits, pattern standard deviation (PSD) <5%, or a cluster of 3 adjacent points with p<5% at the pattern deviation probability plot. RESULTS: When the results of all examinations were analyzed regardless of the order in which they were performed, the number of depressed points with p<0.5% in the pattern deviation probability map was significantly greater with SS (p=0.037), and the sensitivities were 87.1% for SS and 77.4% for FT (p=0.506). When only the first examinations were compared, there were no statistically significant differences regarding the number of depressed points, but the sensitivity of SS (100%) was significantly greater than that obtained with FT (70.6%) (p=0.048). When only the second examinations were compared, there were no statistically significant differences regarding the number of depressed points, and the sensitivities of SS (76.5%) and FT (85.7%) (p=0.664). CONCLUSION: SS may have a higher sensitivity than FT in glaucomatous patients undergoing automated perimetry for the first time. However, this difference tends to disappear in subsequent examinations.OBJETIVO: Comparar as estratégias Full Threshold (FT) e SITA Standard (SS) em pacientes glaucomatosos submetidos à perimetria computadorizada pela primeira vez. MÉTODOS: Trinta e um pacientes glaucomatosos sem experiência perimétrica prévia foram submetidos à perimetria computadorizada (Humphrey, programa 30-2) com as estratégias FT e SS num mesmo dia, com um intervalo de tempo de pelo menos 15 minutos. A ordem dos exames foi randomizada, e somente um olho por paciente foi analisado. Foram realizadas três análises comparativas: a) todos os exames, independentemente da ordem de realização; b) somente os primeiros exames; c) somente os segundos exames. Para calcular a sensibilidade das estratégias, adotaram-se os seguintes critérios para definir anormalidade: glaucoma hemifield test (GHT) fora dos limites normais, pattern standard deviation (PSD) <5%, ou agrupamento de 3 pontos adjacentes com p<5% no gráfico de probabilidades pattern deviation. RESULTADOS: Quando todos os exames foram analisados independentemente da ordem de realização, o número de pontos suspeitos com p