Potential benefit of intraocular pressure reduction in normal-tension glaucoma in South Korea.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential benefit of intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction in normal tension glaucoma (NTG) Asian adult patients in South Korea.


METHODS
This was a retrospective, multicenter analysis of 166 NTG Asian adult patients in South Korea. The patient population consisted of Korean patients with NTG with at least 5 years of records available for evaluation. Patients all had typical glaucomatous optic-disc and/or visual-field changes but had never had a recorded IOP >21 mmHg.


RESULTS
Overall, 48 (29%) patients were progressed and 116 (71%) were stable over the follow-up period. Of patients with IOPs <or=14 mmHg (21/93), 23% progressed and >or=15 mmHg (27/73) 37% progressed (P = 0.041). The mean IOP for the stable group was 14.0 +/- 1.8 mmHg, whereas with the progressed group the average mean IOP was 14.4 +/- 1.6 mmHg (P = 0.20). The mean peak IOP was 17.4 +/- 2.2 mmHg in the stable group and 17.8 +/- 2.0 mmHg in the progressed group (P = 0.26). Multivariate linear regression analysis did not any identify independent risk factors for progression, including age, gender, or mean and peak IOP.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides initial evidence that Korean patients with normal-tension glaucoma, treated to lower IOPs, may have a decreased incidence of progression over 5 years than those patients with higher IOPs. More research is required to confirm this finding.
Seong
Gong Je
GJ
Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Rho
Sae Heun
SH
Kim
Chang Sik
CS
Moon
Jong Il
JI
Kook
Michael Scott
MS
Kim
Yong Yeon
YY
Ma
Kyoung Tak
KT
Hong
Young Jae
YJ
Nelson
Lindsay A
LA
Kruft
Bonnie
B
Stewart
Jeanette A
JA
Stewart
William C
WC
D000328:Adult; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014794:Visual Fields
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents