title: Stress reactivity of intraocular pressure after relaxation training in open-angle glaucoma patients.
abstract: The present study was based on the hypothesis that stress may contribute to increased intraocular pressure (IOP) in open-angle glaucoma patients. It is investigated whether IOP reactivity to a mental stressor test (MST) can be influenced by relaxation training. Twenty three patients with open-angle glaucoma were randomly assigned either to a training group (TG) or to a waiting-list control group (CG). Prior to as well as after the completion of the training all patients were exposed to the MST. IOP and heart rate as well as self-ratings of psychological strain were assessed three times: (1) at baseline, (2) after exposition to the stressor, and (3) after a 10-min relaxation phase. Results provide evidence that the MST is a valid procedure to induce psychophysiological activation and that elevated IOP levels in open-angle glaucoma patients might be provoked by stressing situations. However, participation in the relaxation training did not influence IOP stress reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University of Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaluza
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Strempel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maurer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors