title: Distribution of intraocular pressure and its association with ocular features and cardiovascular risk factors: the Gutenberg Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the distribution of intraocular pressure (IOP) and its association with ocular features and cardiovascular risk factors in an adult European cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This analysis was based on a Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) cohort that included 4335 eligible enrollees from among 5000 subjects who participated in the survey from 2007 through 2008. The age range was 35 to 74 years at enrollment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants underwent a standardized protocol with a comprehensive questionnaire; ophthalmic examination including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, noncontact tonometry, fundus photography, central corneal thickness measurement, and visual field testing; and a thorough general examination focused on cardiovascular parameters, psychological evaluation, and laboratory tests, including genetic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean and reference interval of IOP stratified by age, gender, and eye.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean ± standard deviation (SD) IOP was 14.0 ± 2.6 mmHg in both eyes, 13.9 ± 2.7 mmHg in right eyes, and 14.0 ± 2.7 mmHg in left eyes. Mean ± SD IOP in men (n = 2216) and in women (n = 2119) was 14.1 ± 2.7 mmHg and 13.9 ± 2.5 mmHg with an intersex difference (P = 0.009). Positive univariate associations with higher IOP were detected for brown iris color, central corneal thickness, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, dyslipidemia, body mass index, weight, hip size (women only), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio. Multivariate testing revealed male gender, central corneal thickness, brown iris color, hypertension, smoking, and waist-to-hip ratio to be correlated with higher IOP. In women, age correlated negatively with IOP in the multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intraocular pressure distribution in this cohort yielded a lower mean IOP than in similar white study populations. Increasing age in women correlated with lower IOP. Association analyses with several systemic characteristics revealed that cardiovascular risk factors correlated with higher IOP.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Hoehn
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Mirshahi
authors: Esther M
authors: EM
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Ulrike B
authors: UB
authors: Kottler
authors: Philipp S
authors: PS
authors: Wild
authors: Dagmar
authors: D
authors: Laubert-Reh
authors: Norbert
authors: N
authors: Pfeiffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors