Factors associated with long-term progression or stability in exfoliation glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction on long-term progression or stability in patients with exfoliation glaucoma.


METHODS
Multicenter (Greece, Spain, Russia, and Hungary), retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Medical record analysis of 167 patients with at least 5 years of follow-up, who were stable (n = 85) or whose condition had progressed (n = 82) after the beginning of the follow-up period.


RESULTS
The mean +/- SD IOP was 18.1 +/- 2.6 mm Hg in the stable group and 20.1 +/- 4.3 mm Hg in the progressed group (P<.001). The mean +/- SD follow-up time was 6.1 +/- 2.3 years for the stable group and 3.4 +/- 1.7 years for the progressed group. The mean SD for each patient's average IOP was 2.9 mm Hg for the stable group and 4.6 mm Hg for the progressed group (P<.001). Twenty-eight percent of patients who had a mean IOP of 17 mm Hg or lower, 43% of those with an IOP of 18 to 19 mm Hg, and 70% of those with an IOP of 20 mm Hg or higher progressed. Progressed patients had statistically greater optic disc damage at baseline and more medication changes and trabeculectomies during follow-up than stable patients (P<.05).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that IOP reduction helps to prevent glaucoma progression in patients with exfoliation glaucoma, although it does not guarantee the prevention or worsening of the disease.
Konstas
Anastasios G P
AG
University Department of Ophthalmology, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Hollo
Gabor
G
Astakhov
Yuri S
YS
Teus
Miguel A
MA
Akopov
Evgeny L
EL
Jenkins
Jessica N
JN
Stewart
William C
WC
D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000503:physiopathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014130:Trabeculectomy; D014792:Visual Acuity
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents