Davut Ünsal ÇAPKAN, Mehmet KAPLAN, İbrahim GÖZEN, Mehmet Hamdi ŞAHAN
Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care - 2026;7(4):682-687
Aims: To investigate the association between systemic hypertension and vitreous humor attenuation on computed tomography (CT), and to evaluate its relationship with age, gender, and ocular morphometric parameters. Methods: This retrospective comparative study included 132 participants (66 hypertensive patients and 66 age- and sex-matched controls) who underwent cranial CT between January 2023 and March 2026. Vitreous attenuation values were measured using region-of-interest (ROI) analysis, and ocular globe dimensions (anteroposterior and transverse diameters) were assessed on axial images. Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests, and correlations were evaluated with Spearman's coefficient. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with hypertension. Results: Vitreous attenuation values were significantly higher in the hypertensive group compared to controls (mean: 12.44+/-2.3 vs. 11.16+/-1.8 Hounsfield Units, p=0.004). No significant differences were observed in ocular globe dimensions between groups (p>0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between age and vitreous attenuation in both hypertensive (r=0.332, p=0.006) and control groups (r=0.411, p=0.001), while no association was identified between age and globe dimensions. No sex-related differences were detected. In multivariate analysis, mean vitreous attenuation remained significantly associated with hypertension (OR=1.333, 95% CI: 1.101-1.614, p=0.003). Additionally, mean anteroposterior (AP) diameter demonstrated a significant inverse association with hypertension in the multivariable model (OR=0.421, 95% CI: 0.181-0.976, p=0.044). Conclusion: Systemic hypertension is associated with increased vitreous attenuation on CT, suggesting subtle microstructural alterations. These findings suggest a possible relationship between systemic hypertension and vitreous attenuation.
