Age may be factor influencing glaucoma filtration surgery in patients with open-angle glaucoma

A recent population-based historic cohort study, involving over 9,000 patients diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) found that age is a risk factors associated with glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS). In addition, the number of intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering drugs administered in the first 2 years of treatment correlated with an increased risk of undergoing GFS, emphasizing the importance of considering drug regimens in predicting the likelihood of surgical intervention.

Utilizing national administrative healthcare registers and hospital billing data, researchers gathered information on trabeculectomy (TRE), deep sclerectomy (DS), and glaucoma drainage implant (GDI) surgeries. The cumulative incidence of GFS at 5 years from OAG onset was found to be 3.1%, rising to 5.4% at the 10-year mark.

One noteworthy discovery was the inverse correlation between age and GFS incidence. Patients over 80 years at baseline exhibited a lower GFS incidence, with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.51 and a confidence interval (CI) of 0.31-0.84.

The study also highlighted the impact of intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering drugs on the risk of undergoing GFS. The number of drugs administered in the first 2 years of treatment showed a significant correlation with the risk of GFS. The IRR increased from 3.23 (CI 2.32-4.50) for 2 drugs to 7.44 (CI 5.28-10.47) for 3 drugs, reaching 14.95 (CI 10.38-21.52) for 4 drugs.

Reference

Virtanen A, Haukka J, Loukovaara S, Harju M. Incidence of glaucoma filtration surgery from disease onset of open-angle glaucoma. Acta Ophthalmol. 2023;doi: 10.1111/aos.16618. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38146936.