The Association between Adiposity and the Risk of Glaucoma: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis was conducted to determine the potential association between adiposity and glaucoma incidence.

A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed and ISI Web of Science. A meta-analysis was conducted using STATA software.

Fifteen eligible studies involving 2,445,980 individuals were included to investigate the association between adiposity and glaucoma incidence. The relative risks (RRs) were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CI) by using a random-effects model. The pooled RR between adiposity and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was 1.73 (95% CI, 1.18-2.54), whereas that between adiposity and open-angle glaucoma (OAG) was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.83-1.13). The pooled RR between abdominal adiposity and glaucoma was 1.28 (95% CI, 1.15-1.41), whereas that between general adiposity and glaucoma was 1.09 (95% CI, 0.87-1.37). Results of subgroup analysis by sex indicated the association between adiposity and glaucoma in the female group (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.05-1.64), but not in the male group (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.77-1.60). The pooled RR of cohort studies and cross-sectional studies were 1.00 (95% CI, 0.84-1.20) and 1.22 (95% CI, 0.89-1.66), respectively.

Adiposity has a higher risk of elevated IOP, and abdominal adiposity has a positive association with glaucoma, especially in female patients.