Escalation of glaucoma therapy after penetrating keratoplasty.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and risk factors for escalation of glaucoma therapy after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and its impact on graft survival and visual outcome.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Seven hundred fifteen consecutive eyes of 678 patients undergoing PK.


METHODS
Retrospective review of every case of PK performed at King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002.


METHODS
Escalation of glaucoma therapy, graft survival, and visual outcome.


RESULTS
Escalation of glaucoma therapy occurred in 89 (12.4%) eyes of 715 PK procedures during a mean follow-up of 32.2 months. Medical escalation accounted for 73 (82.0%) cases, whereas surgical escalation occurred in 16 (18.0%) eyes. The following were significantly associated with an increased risk of escalation of glaucoma therapy: surgical indication for PK (P<0.001), increasing patient age (P<0.001), preexisting glaucoma (P<0.001), recipient trephination < 7.0 mm (P = 0.02), and pseudophakia or aphakia (P<0.001). Eyes with escalation of glaucoma therapy had significant reduction in graft survival compared with eyes in which this did not occur (52.8% vs. 82.9%, P<0.001). Escalation of glaucoma therapy was associated with a significant reduction in the percentage of eyes achieving visual acuity of 20/40 or better (9.0% vs. 42.1%, P<0.001) and a significant increase in those obtaining 20/200 or worse (70.8% vs. 26.7%, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Escalation of glaucoma therapy is a serious sequela of PK that is significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure and poor visual outcome.
Al-Mohaimeed
Mansour
M
Department of Ophthalmology, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Al-Shahwan
Sami
S
Al-Torbak
Abdullah
A
Wagoner
Michael D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018463:Filtering Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents