Risk factors for Rapid Glaucoma Disease Progression

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology Vol. 180; pp. 151 - 157
• Main Authors: Wai Chan, Thomas Chun, Bala, Chandra, Siu, Anna, Wan, Fiona, White, Andrew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2017; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Algorithms; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases - epidemiology; Case-Control Studies; Cornea - pathology; Diabetes; Disease Progression; Exfoliation Syndrome - epidemiology; Female; Glaucoma; Glaucoma - diagnosis; Glaucoma - epidemiology; Health risk assessment; Humans; Hypertension; Intraocular Pressure - physiology; Male; Migraine; New South Wales - epidemiology; Ophthalmology; Optic Disk - pathology; Patients; Regression analysis; Retinal Hemorrhage - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Visual Fields
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2017.06.003

Abstract Purpose To determine the intraocular and systemic risk factor differences between a cohort of rapid glaucoma disease progressors and non-rapid disease progressors. Design Retrospective case control study Methods Setting Five private ophthalmology clinics Study Population 48 rapidly progressing eyes (progression ≥1dB mean deviation (MD)/year) and 486 non-rapidly progressing eyes (progression <1dB MD/year). Patients were eligible if they had a diagnosis of glaucoma from their ophthalmologist and if they had greater than or equal to 5 Humphrey visual fields (24-2) conducted. Patients were excluded if their sequential visual fields showed an improvement in MD or if they had greater than 5dB MD variation in between visits. Patients with obvious neurological fields were excluded. Observation Procedure Clinical and demographic data (age, gender, CCT, IOP, refraction, medications) as well as medical, surgical and ocular histories were collected. Main Outcome Measures Risk factor differences between the cohorts were measured using the independent t-test, Wald chi-squared and binomial regression analysis. Results Rapid progressors were older, had significantly lower CCT and baseline IOPs and were more likely to have pseudoexfoliation, disc haemorrhages, ocular medication changes and IOP lowering surgery. They also had significantly higher rates of cardiovascular disease and hypotension. Subjects with cardiovascular disease were 2.33 times more likely to develop rapidly progressive glaucoma disease despite significantly lower mean and baseline IOPs. Conclusion Cardiovascular disease is an important risk factor for rapid glaucoma disease progression irrespective of IOP control.