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Mortality in primary open-angle glaucoma: 'two cupped discs and a funeral'.
A W Hewitt1, P Sanfilippo, M A Ring
1Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Eye (London, England)
|February 28, 2009
Summary
Individuals with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) have a significantly higher risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Further research is needed to understand the link between OAG and cardiovascular disease.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Epidemiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is a progressive optic neuropathy.
- Mortality patterns in OAG patients are not fully understood.
- Cardiovascular health is a growing concern in glaucoma research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causes of mortality in individuals diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma (OAG).
- To compare mortality rates and causes between OAG patients and the general population.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mortality data from Tasmania (1996-2005).
- Cross-referenced death records with participants of the Glaucoma Inheritance Study in Tasmania (GIST).
- Employed logistic regression, adjusting for age and gender, to analyze mortality causes.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between OAG and increased odds of death from ischemic heart disease (OR=1.30, P=0.006).
- OAG patients showed significantly lower mortality due to metastatic cancer in crude analysis, but this was not significant after adjustments.
- Mortality data was available for 741 of 2409 OAG cases.
Conclusions:
- A potential link exists between open-angle glaucoma and ischemic heart disease.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the pathophysiological relationship.
- Increased clinical awareness of cardiovascular disease in OAG patients is recommended.
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