Association between Skeletal Muscle Mass and Ocular Perfusion Pressure in Glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Geriatrics
• Metabolic Medicine

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Body composition and systemic health factors are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to glaucoma pathogenesis.
• Understanding these relationships may reveal novel therapeutic targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between body composition and glaucoma.
• To analyze the relationship between anthropometric parameters and ocular metrics, including ocular perfusion pressure.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 221 patients (221 eyes) with glaucoma data.
• Assessment of anthropometric parameters using multifrequency bioelectrical impedance.
• Calculation of Mean Ocular Perfusion Pressure (MOPP) from blood pressure and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Main Results:

• Sarcopenia prevalence was higher in glaucoma patients (p=0.025).
• Higher BMI and waist-to-hip ratio correlated with higher IOP and lower MOPP.
• Higher MOPP correlated with lower IOP, higher BMI, and greater appendicular lean mass (p=0.009).

Conclusions:

• Skeletal muscle mass and BMI are significantly associated with MOPP.
• Low MOPP, linked to skeletal muscle mass, may indicate a pathway between systemic muscle health, ocular perfusion, and glaucoma.
• Further research is needed to confirm these associations and explore clinical implications.