Ophthalmology
Glaucoma linked to higher risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia
In this national matched cohort study, persons with glaucoma had increased risks for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), and all-cause dementia, particularly those diagnosed with glaucoma at older ages. These findings suggestion that adults with glaucoma may need increased monitoring for dementia to facilitate earlier detection and treatment.
- Participants included 324,730 persons diagnosed with glaucoma during 1995-2017 in Sweden and 3,247,300 age- and sex-matched population-based controls without prior dementia.
- In 16 million person-years of follow-up, 10% of participants in the study group and 7% from the control group were diagnosed with dementia.
- Persons with glaucoma had increased risks for AD (adjusted HR, 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.43), VaD (1.66; 1.61-1.72), and all-cause dementia (1.57; 1.54-1.59). Among glaucoma subtypes, both primary open-angle and normal-tension glaucoma were associated with increased risk for AD (adjusted HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.27-1.36; and 1.28; 1.20-1.36, respectively) and VaD (1.61; 1.54-1.68; and 1.39; 1.28-1.50, respectively), whereas primary angle-closure glaucoma was associated with VaD (1.26; 1.02-1.56) but not AD (0.98; 0.82-1.18). These findings were similar in men and women. All risks were highest in persons diagnosed with glaucoma at ages ≥ 70 years and were not elevated for ages < 60 years.
Source:
Crump C, et al. (2023, October 13). Ophthalmology. Risk of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in Persons with Glaucoma: A National Cohort Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37839560/