Hypertension and IOP linked

Increased blood pressure contributes to elevated IOP and possibly the development of glaucoma, according to the findings of a meta-analysis published by the American Journal of Ophthalmology.

The researchers, from the US and South Korea, conducted a systematic review of 60 observational studies identified through a search of the PubMed and EMBASE databases. They summarized relative risks using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models, and they analysed subgroups and performed meta-regression to look for similarities among the studies.

Comparing those with and without hypertension, the investigators found a pooled relative risk for primary open-angle glaucoma of 1.16. Almost all of the studies demonstrated a positive association between blood pressure and IOP. When systolic blood pressure increased 10 mmHg, IOP increased 0.26 mmHg, based on pooled averages. When diastolic blood pressure increased 5 mmHg, IOP increased an average of 0.17 mmHg.

To view an abstract of the study, click here.