title: The association of primary open-angle glaucoma with mortality: a meta-analysis of observational studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the relationship between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases yielded 9 cohort studies with relative risk (RR) estimates for all-cause mortality. The studies were critically reviewed by an expert in the field. The data were extracted and analyzed in a pooled analysis by the random-effects model. Meta-regression to assess for heterogeneity by several covariates and subgroup analysis on cardiovascular mortality were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant risk was not detected in the final pooled analysis (RR, 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97-1.31) for all-cause mortality. A meta-regression across mean follow-up time, age, and sex was not significant. A meta-regression across diabetes status in 3 of the 9 studies did not demonstrate significant results (P = .94). Subgroup analysis on cardiovascular mortality from 4 of the 9 studies was marginally significant (RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.00-1.43; P = .05), but insignificant after removal of a study in which POAG was ascertained by self and proxy report (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.87-1.46).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This meta-analysis does not demonstrate an association between POAG and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality.
authors.affiliation: Harvard University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.forename: Louis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Pasquale
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D002423:Cause of Death; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology