Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Abstract

Purpose

To compare mortality rates in glaucoma patients and matched controls from a large population screening as well as glaucoma patients diagnosed through routine clinical examination (self-selected patients).

Methods

A population-based screening of 32,918 elderly citizens of Malmö was conducted between 1992 and 1997. Individuals with newly detected, previously untreated open-angle glaucoma were identified. Two controls of the same age and gender were chosen among the screening negative participants for each patient. From the same birth cohorts, glaucoma patients seen in routine clinical practice (self-selected patients) were identified through retrospective examination of patient records from the Eye Department at Malmö University Hospital. The number and time of deaths for each group were determined based on centrally administered registers.

Results

Mean follow-up time was 7.75 years. Five-year mortality did not differ significantly between the groups, and was 9.2% among glaucoma patients from the screening (n=402), and 11.9% among the controls (n=804; p=0.7406). Self-selected glaucoma patients had a 5-year mortality of 8.5% (n=354), not significantly different from the screening-detected glaucoma patients (p=0.1361). Among glaucoma patients, neither IOP (p=0.1781) nor pseudoexfoliation (p=0.8882) was related to significantly increased mortality.

Conclusions

The results of this study strongly suggest that the life expectancy of glaucoma patients does not differ from the population at large.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson DR (1989) Glaucoma: the damage caused by pressure.XLVI Edward Jackson memorial lecture. Am J Ophthalmol 108:485–495

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Åsman P, Heijl A (1992a) Evaluation of methods for automated hemifield analysis in perimetry. Arch Ophthalmol 10:820–826

    Google Scholar 

  3. Åsman, Heijl A (1992b) Glaucoma Hemifield Test: automated visual field evaluation. Arch Ophthalmol 10:812–819

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bengtsson B (1984) Survival of elderly ophthalmic out-patients. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 62:725–730

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Borger PH, Van Leeuwen R, Hulsman CAA et al. (2003) Is there a direct association between age-related eye disease and mortality? Ophthalmology 110:1292–1296

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chung HS, Harris A, Evans DW et al. (1999) Vascular aspects in the pathophysiology of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Surv Ophthalmol 43:S43–S50

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cox DR (1972) Regression models and life tables. J R Stat Soc B 30:187–202

    Google Scholar 

  8. Diggory P, Franks W (1996) Medical treatment of glaucoma: a reappraisal of the risks. Br J Ophthalmol 80:85–89

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Drance SM, Sweeney VP, Morgan RW et al (1973) Studies of factors involved in the production of low-tension glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol 89:457–465

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Egge K, Zahl PH (1999) Survival of glaucoma patients. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 77:397–401

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Flammer J, Gasser P, Prünte C et al. (1992) The probable involvement of factors other than ocular pressure in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Pharmacol Glaucoma 273–283

  12. Grødum K, Heijl A, Bengtsson B (2002) A comparison of glaucoma patients identified through mass screening and in routine clinical practice. Acta Ophthal Scand 80:627–631

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gupta N, Weinreib R (1997) New definitions of glaucoma. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 8:38–41

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Harrison R, Kaufmann CS (1977) Clonidine: effects of a topically administered solution on intraocular pressure and blood pressure in open-angle glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol 95:1368–1373

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hayreh SS, Zimmerman BM, Podhajsky P et al. (1994) Nocturnal arterial hypotension and its role in optic nerve head and ocular ischemic disorders. Am J Ophthalmol 117:603–624

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Heijl A, Leske MC, Bengtsson B et al. (2002) Reduction of intraocular pressure and glaucoma progression. Results from the Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial. Arch Ophthalmol 120:1268–1278

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hennis A, Wu SY, Nemesure B et al. (2003) Hypertension, diabetes, and longitudinal changes in intraocular pressure. Ophthalmology 110:908–914

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hietanen J, Soisalon-Soininen S, Kivela T et al. (2002) Evaluation of the clinical association between exfoliation syndrome and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 80:617–619

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hiller R, Podgor MJ, Sperduto RD et al. (1999) High introcular pressure and survival: the Framingham Studies. Am J Ophthalmol 128:440–445

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hodapp E, Kolker AE, Kass MA et al. (1981) The effect of topical clonidine on intraocular pressure. Arch Ophthalmol 99:1208–1211

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kaplan EL, Meier P (1958) Nonparametric estimation from incomplete observations. J Am Stat Assoc 53:457–481

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kass MA, Heuer DK, Higginbotham EJ et al. (2002) The Ocular Hyperrtension Treatment Study: a randomized trial determines that topical ocular hypotensive medication delays or prevents the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma. Arch Ophthalmol 120:701–713

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Klein R, Klein BEK, Moss SE (1995) Age-related eye disease and survival. The Beaver Dam Eye Study. Arch Ophthalmol 113:333–339

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Lee DJ, Gómez-Marín O, Lam BL et al. (2003) Glaucoma and survival. The National Health Interview Survey 1986–1994. Ophthalmology 110:1476–1483

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Leske C, Heijl A, Hyman L et al (1999) Early Manifest Glaucoma Trial: design and baseline data. Ophthalmology 106:2144–2153

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Leske MC (2003) Glaucoma and mortality: A connection? Guest editorial. Ophthalmology 110:1473–1475

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Mitchell P, Smith W, Chey T et al. (1997) Open-angle glaucoma and diabetes: the Blue Mountains eye study, Australia. Ophthalmology 104:712–718

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Mitchell P, Wang JJ, Smith W (1997) Association of pseudoexfoliation syndrome with increased vascular risk. Am J Ophthalmol 124:685–687

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Odberg T (1993) Visual field prognosis in early glaucoma: a long-term clinical follow-up. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 71:721–726

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Odberg T, Jakobsen JE, Hultgren SJ et al. (2001) The impact of glaucoma on the quality of life of patients in Norway. I. Results from a self-administered questionnaire. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 79:116–120

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Repo L, Teräsvirta, Koivisto KJ (1993) Generalized transluminance of the iris and the frequency of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome in the eyes of transient ischemic attack patients. Ophthalmology 100:352–355

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ringvold A, Blika S, Sandvik L (1997) Pseudo-exfoliation and mortality. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 75:255–256

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Ritch R, Schlötzer-Schrehardt U (2001) Exfoliation syndrome. Surv Ophthalmol 45:265–315

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Schuman JS (2000) Antiglaucoma medications. A review of safety and tolerability issues related to their use. Clin Ther 22:167–208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Shrum KR, Hattenhauer MG, Hodge D (2000) Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality associated with ocular pseudoexfoliation. Am J Ophthalmol 129:83–86

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Stewart WC, Osterman J (1998) Serum lipid physiology and the influence of glaucoma medications. Surv Ophthalmol 43:233–244

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Thorburn W, Lindblom B (1983) Survival time among patients with glaucomatous visual field defects. Acta Ophthalmol Scand 61:728–730

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Tielsch Jm, Katz J, Sommer A et al. (1995) Hypertension, perfusion pressure, and primary open-angle glaucoma. A population-based assessment. Arch Ophthalmol 113:216–221

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Wu SY, Nemesure B, Leske MC (2001) Observed versus indirect estimates of incidence of open-angle glaucoma. Am J Epidemiol 153:184–187

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

J. Olsson provided statistical advice. This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Council (K2002-74X-10426-10A), Malmö University Hospital, and the Järnhardt Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kirsti Grødum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grødum, K., Heijl, A. & Bengtsson, B. Glaucoma and mortality. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 242, 397–401 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0858-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0858-2

Keywords

Navigation