The Relationship between Intraocular Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Jung, Suk Chul; Choi, Young Rak; Lee, Jong Soo

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and cardiovascular risk variables in healthy Koreans adjusted for age and mean blood pressure. METHODS: A total of 1477 healthy participants underwent automated multi-phasic test, including tonometry, automated perimetry, fundus photography, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk variables such as total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and blood glucose. The subjects were divided into six age groups by decades ranging from 20~29 years to over 70 years. The relationship between IOP and cardiovascular risk variables was examined using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 49.0 years, and 778 (52.7%) of participants were men. The mean IOP was 15.8+/-3.2 mmHg, and was significantly higher in men than in women (p<0.05). The prevalence of ocular hypertension was 5.9% in men and 3.1% in women. IOP was associated with mean blood pressure, gender, age, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose (p<0.05). The relationship between IOP and age adjusted for mean blood pressure and cardiovascular risk variables showed a significantly negative tendency (p<0.05). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose values after adjusting for age and mean blood pressure had a significantly positive relation with IOP (p<0.05), but there was no significant relation between IOP and high density lipoprotein (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As increased IOP was associated with cardiovascular risk variables, it is necessary to control increased total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood glucose levels in the normal population to prevent or control the IOP elevation.