Long-Term Blood Pressure Variability and Visual Field Progression in Glaucoma

Long-term variability of blood pressure may be associated with visual field (VF) progression in patients with glaucoma.

To investigate the association between blood pressure parameters and VF progression over time in patients with glaucoma.

This retrospective cohort study of longitudinal data included patients with suspected or confirmed glaucoma who were selected from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study and the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study. Patients underwent blood pressure and VF testing from November 2000 to December 2022, and data were analyzed in October 2023.

Suspected or confirmed glaucoma.

Mean and SD values of blood pressure variables were calculated for systolic and diastolic arterial pressures. These parameters were incorporated into multivariable mixed-effect models to investigate the association between blood pressure parameters and mean intraocular pressure with rates of VF mean deviation loss. Interaction terms between blood pressure parameters and mean intraocular pressure were also included in the models.

A total of 1674 eyes from 985 patients were assessed (mean [SD] age, 61.2 [0.4] years; 563 female [57.2%]). The mean rate of VF mean deviation change was -0.13 (95% CI, -0.16 to -0.10) dB/y over a mean follow-up of 8.0 (95% CI, 7.7-8.2) years. The interaction terms of higher mean blood pressure and higher SD of blood pressure were associated with faster annual mean deviation changes for both mean arterial pressure (0.02 [95% CI, 0.01-0.04] dB/y per 1-mm Hg higher; P = .001) and diastolic arterial pressure (0.02 [95% CI, 0.01-0.03] dB/y per 1-mm Hg higher; P < .001). The interaction term of higher SD of blood pressure and higher mean intraocular pressure was associated with faster annual mean deviation changes for both mean arterial pressure (0.01 [95% CI, 0.00-0.02] μm per 1-mm Hg higher; P = .003) and diastolic arterial pressure (0.01 [95% CI, 0.00-0.01] μm per 1-mm Hg higher; P = .001).

In this cohort study, higher mean blood pressure and higher SD of blood pressure were associated with faster VF progression. These findings suggest that long-term variability of blood pressure may be a modifier of the association between intraocular pressure and VF progression in glaucoma.