title: Normal tension glaucoma and Alzheimer disease: comorbidity?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is associated with increased risk of developing dementia/Alzheimer disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 69 patients with NTG were identified in the case note files in the Glaucoma Clinic, University Hospital of Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet), Denmark from 1980 to 2001. The rate of a subsequent diagnosis of dementia as recorded in nationwide health care registers from 1980 to 2005 was estimated and compared with the rate for the general population [standard mortality rate (SMR) = observed number of cases of dementia/expected number of cases of dementia].
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 69 patients had a median age of 64 years (quartiles 57 and 73) at the time of the diagnosis, and the average follow-up period was 12.7 years. The SMR(dementia) was 0.20 (95% CI 0.01-1.11). No patient developed AD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Normal tension glaucoma was not associated with an increased risk of developing dementia/AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark. daniella@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Daniella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bach-Holm
authors.forename: Svend Vedel
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Kessing
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mogensen
authors.forename: Julie Lyng
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.forename: Per Kragh
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Lars Vedel
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Kessing
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000601:surgery; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D057066:Low Tension Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D014130:Trabeculectomy
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents