Vascular considerations in glaucoma patients of African and European descent.
Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in individuals of African descent (AD). While open-angle glaucoma (OAG) disproportionately affects individuals of AD compared with persons of European descent (ED), the physiological mechanisms behind this disparity are largely unknown. The more rapid progression and greater severity of the disease in persons of AD further raise the concern for identifying these underlying differences in disease pathophysiology between AD and ED glaucoma patients. Ocular structural differences between AD and ED patients, including larger optic disc area, cup:disc ratio and thinner corneas, have been found. AD individuals are also disproportionately affected by systemic vascular diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes mellitus. Abnormal ocular blood flow has been implicated as a risk factor for glaucoma, and pilot research is beginning to identify localized ocular vascular differences between AD and ED OAG patients. Given the known systemic vascular deficits and the relationship between glaucoma and ocular blood flow, exploring these concepts in terms of glaucoma risk factors may have a significant impact in elucidating the mechanisms behind the disease disparity in the AD population.
Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Andrew
A
Huck
Alon
A
Harris
Brent
B
Siesky
Nathaniel
N
Kim
Michael
M
Muchnik
Priyanka
P
Kanakamedala
Annahita
A
Amireskandari
Leslie
L
Abrams-Tobe
D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019842:Ciliary Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology*
African descent; blood flow; glaucoma; race