Prevalence of normal-tension glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma in patients with collagen diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in patients with collagen diseases and determine whether an immunocompromised condition is present in a subset of glaucoma patients.


METHODS
Three glaucoma specialists prospectively examined patients with collagen diseases. The diagnostic process included applanation tonometry, slit-lamp examination, gonioscopy, direct ophthalmoscopy, and automated static perimetry. Twenty-four-hour intraocular pressure monitoring was done when necessary. Using the results of a population-based survey conducted in Japan, we calculated an expected number of cases of NTG and POAG, and compared these with the actual number of cases.


RESULTS
Of the 153 patients with collagen diseases examined, we found 6 patients with NTG and 2 patients with POAG. Of these 8 patients, 2 with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), one with NTG, and the other, POAG, had a history of being on systemic steroidal therapy. The prevalence of NTG and POAG was significantly higher in women patients having collagen diseases as compared with normal women (P = .027).


CONCLUSIONS
Women patients with collagen diseases are highly susceptible to NTG and POAG.
Yamamoto
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Maeda
M
M
Sawada
A
A
Sugiyama
K
K
Taniguchi
T
T
Kitazawa
Y
Y
Oyama
Z
Z
Ichihashi
N
N
Takagi
H
H
Kitajima
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012737:Sex Factors
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear