Is diabetes mellitus a risk factor for open-angle glaucoma? The Rotterdam Study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for open-angle glaucoma (OAG).


METHODS
Prospective population-based cohort study.


METHODS
Participants ages > or =55 years from the Rotterdam Study, The Netherlands.


METHODS
Participants at risk for incident OAG (iOAG) underwent at baseline (1990-1993) and follow-up (1997-1999) the same ophthalmic examination including intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, visual field testing, and simultaneous stereo optic disc photography. At baseline, diabetes mellitus was defined as the use of antidiabetic medication and/or a random or postload glucose value > or =11.1 mmol/l. The diagnosis of OAG was made with an algorithm based on optic disc measures and visual fields, independent of the IOP.


METHODS
Incident OAG.


RESULTS
In total, 3837 participants without OAG at baseline were reexamined. After a mean follow-up time of 6.5 years, iOAG developed in 87 persons. The relative risk of iOAG associated with baseline diabetes was 0.82 (0.33-2.05). After adjustment for age, gender, follow-up time, IOP, IOP-lowering treatment, body mass index, and systemic hypertension, the relative risk of iOAG was 0.65 (0.25-1.64).


CONCLUSIONS
In this prospective population-based study, diabetes mellitus was not a risk factor for OAG.
de Voogd
Simone
S
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Ikram
M Kamran
MK
Wolfs
Roger C W
RC
Jansonius
Nomdo M
NM
Witteman
Jacqueline C M
JC
Hofman
Albert
A
de Jong
Paulus T V M
PT
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology; D010781:Photography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014794:Visual Fields