Glaucoma more prevalent in women with COPD

The risk of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) appears to be aggravated among women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reports a recent study.

A team of researchers conducted a population-based, cross-sectional assessment of 8,941 individuals who had participated in the 2008–2011 cycle of the Korean National Health and Examination Survey. COPD was defined as a <70-percent ratio between first second of forced expiration (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC).

The prevalence of OAG was comparable in men with normal, restrictive, and obstructive pulmonary function. However, OAG was significantly more common in women with obstructive vs normal lung function (8.0 percent vs 4.8 percent; p=0.001).

Logistic regression analysis confirmed that COPD was a significant correlate of OAG in women, increasing such likelihood by over twofold (odds ratio [OR], 2.077, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.137–3.795; p=0.017). This interaction remained significant even when age, intraocular pressure, refractive status, smoking, and other confounders were controlled.

Of note, smoking status seemed to affect this relationship. Being a never-smoker and having COPD nearly tripled the likelihood of glaucoma in women (OR, 2.711, 95 percent CI, 1.405–5.232; p=0.003).

“COPD was found to increase the risk of OAG in women, and women with COPD were at even higher risks for OAG if they were never-smokers. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to identify nonsmoking COPD as a risk factor for OAG in Korean women,” the researchers said.

“Future prospective studies are necessary to confirm the role of COPD in the development of OAG and the mechanism with which the lung function affects the pathogenesis of glaucoma,” they added.