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Clinical science
Association between statin use and rates of structural and functional loss in glaucoma
  1. Jessica Minjy Kang1,
  2. Alessandro Adad Jammal2,
  3. Felipe A Medeiros2,3
  1. 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
  2. 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
  3. 3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
  1. Correspondence to Professor Felipe A Medeiros, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA; felipe.medeiros{at}duke.edu

Abstract

Background/aims To evaluate the association between statin use and rates of standard automated perimetry (SAP) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) change in patients with glaucoma and glaucoma suspects.

Methods This retrospective cohort study included subjects from the Duke Glaucoma Registry with primary open-angle glaucoma and glaucoma suspects. Subjects were assigned to groups according to history of statin use. Rates of change in SAP mean deviation (MD) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) RNFL thickness over time were estimated using linear mixed models and compared in the statin versus control groups. The effect of duration of statin use was also assessed. Patients with glaucoma versus suspects were analysed separately. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounding factors of age, gender, race, intraocular pressure and follow-up time.

Results The study included 10 049 SAP tests and 14 198 SD OCT tests from 3007 eyes (1978 patients) followed for an average of 4.7±2.0 years. Of these, 775 subjects (1179 eyes) had a history of statin use. No difference in rates of change was seen between the statin versus control groups for MD (−0.07±0.16 dB/year vs −0.07±0.15 dB/year; p=0.873, respectively) or RNFL thickness (−0.70±0.60 µm/year vs −0.70±0.61 µm/year; p=0.923, respectively). Multivariable models controlling for potential confounders showed no significant association between duration of statin use and rates of MD or RNFL thickness change.

Conclusions We did not find a statistically significant association between statin use or duration of statin use and rates of structural and functional change in those with glaucoma or glaucoma suspects.

  • Glaucoma
  • Drugs

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. Data are available upon reasonable request

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-320734

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    Data availability statement

    All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information. Data are available upon reasonable request

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    Footnotes

    • Twitter @AAJammalMD

    • Contributors FM is guarantor

    • Funding Supported in part by National Institutes of Health/National Eye Institute grants EY029885 and EY031898 (FAM).

    • Disclaimer The funding organisation had no role in the design or conduct of this research.

    • Competing interests FAM—Aeri Pharmaceuticals (C); Allergan (C, F), Annexon (C); Biogen (C); Carl Zeiss Meditec (C, F); Galimedix (C); Google (F); Heidelberg Engineering (F); IDx (C); nGoggle (P); Novartis (F); Stealth Biotherapeutics (C); Reichert (C, F).

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.

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