title: Pseudoexfoliation syndrome prevalence in Greek patients with cataract and its association to glaucoma and coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of glaucoma and coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with cataract and pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 2140 consecutive patients with cataract admitted at the University Hospital of Patras, Greece, for cataract surgery. Only patients with senile cataract were included in this study. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination that included slit-lamp evaluation with dilated pupil for PEX material in the anterior segment, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements, and optic disc cup examination. They also underwent an evaluation for CAD by a cardiologist. CAD was considered present if a patient had a history of myocardial infarction, or ischaemia, or abnormal coronary angiography. The patients were classified into two groups: the PEX and the non-PEX group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand and eighty-eight (50.8%) patients were men and 1052 (49.2%) were women. The overall prevalence of PEX syndrome was found to be 27.9% and it was found to increase with progressing age. Bilateral PEX was more frequent than unilateral PEX, with the percentage of bilateral PEX raising with progressing age. A total of 132 patients (22.1%) in the PEX group exhibited glaucoma, while in the non-PEX group only 2.5% suffered glaucoma. PEX was also found to be positively associated with the risk for CAD among subjects 50 years or older. No association between CAD and glaucoma was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEX syndrome constitutes a major glaucoma risk factor and a CAD risk factor. Patients with PEX should be informed and examined frequently as the risk is present throughout.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Patras Medical School, Greece.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Andrikopoulos
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Mela
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Georgakopoulos
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Damelou
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gartaganis
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution