The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study: topical medication delays or prevents primary open-angle glaucoma in African American individuals.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of glaucoma is higher in African American individuals than in white individuals.


OBJECTIVE
To report the safety and efficacy of topical ocular hypotensive medication in delaying or preventing the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) among African American participants in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.


METHODS
Eligibility criteria included age between 40 and 80 years, intraocular pressure between 24 and 32 mm Hg in one eye and between 21 and 32 mm Hg in the other eye, and no evidence of glaucomatous structural or functional damage by standard clinical measures. Participants were randomized to either the observation group or medication group. Of the 1636 participants randomized, 408 were self-identified as African American.


METHODS
The primary outcome was the development of reproducible visual field abnormality and/or reproducible optic disc deterioration attributed to POAG.


RESULTS
Among African American participants, 17 (8.4%) of 203 in the medication group developed POAG during the study (median follow-up, 78 months) compared with 33 (16.1%) of 205 participants in the observation group (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.90; P =.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Topical ocular hypotensive therapy is effective in delaying or preventing the onset of POAG in African American individuals who have ocular hypertension.
Higginbotham
Eve J
EJ
Department of Ophthalmology, Maryland Center for Eye Care Associates, Baltimore, USA.
Gordon
Mae O
MO
Beiser
Julia A
JA
Drake
Michael V
MV
Bennett
G Richard
GR
Wilson
M Roy
MR
Kass
Michael A
MA
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D044383:Black People; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001741:Black or African American
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions