Inhaled Corticosteroid and Secondary Glaucoma: A Meta-analysis of 18 Studies

Guidelines and systematic reviews frequently warn of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-induced glaucoma. However, most of the published studies deny it.

We performed a systematic review of randomized, cohort, nested-case control, cross-sectional studies by using Meta-analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement. Four major databases, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Search Manager, and the Web of Science Core Collection as well as meta-analysis were used. Studies comparing incidence, prevalence and intraocular pressure (IOP) between patients who were treated with and without ICSs were included. A random-model meta-analysis was performed using the inverse variance method.

Out of 623 studies screened, 18 with 31,665 subjects were finally included. No significant difference between the 2 groups was observed for crude glaucoma incidence (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.04; P = 0.26; I² = 0%; P for heterogeneity = 0.57) as a primary endpoint, adjusted glaucoma incidence (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.65-1.24; P = 0.64), crude prevalence (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.23-14.19; P = 0.57), adjusted prevalence (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.50-2.96; P = 0.66), IOP change during ICS treatment (mean difference [MD] +0.01 mmHg; 95% CI, -0.19-0.20; P = 0.95), and single measurement IOP (MD +0.37 mmHg; 95% CI, -0.24-0.97; P = 0.23). Time-to-event analysis for glaucoma development as one of the secondary endpoints (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.28-0.96) suggested a reverse association between ICS and glaucoma.

The ophthalmological side effects of ICSs, such as glaucoma and intraocular hypertension, should not be exaggerated.

University Hospital Medical Information Network Center Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: UMIN000040351.