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Clinical Summary

Sleep Apnoea Tied to Increased Risk of Glaucoma and Age-related Macular Degeneration

Takeaway

  • Sleep apnoea was associated with an increased risk of both glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Why this matters

  • Findings suggest that patients with sleep apnoea may benefit from additional ophthalmologic examinations.

Study design

  • Analysis of data from 502,505 participants (age, 40-69 years; median follow-up, 8 years) in the UK Biobank and 24,073 participants (age, 45-85 years; median follow-up, 3 years) in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).
  • Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

Key results

  • In the UK Biobank, incidence rates per 1000 person-years were:
    • glaucoma: 2.46 and 1.59 for participants with and without sleep apnoea, respectively; and
    • AMD: 2.27 and 1.42 for participants with and without sleep apnoea, respectively.
  • Patients with sleep apnoea vs those without were at an increased risk of (adjusted HR; 95% CI):
    • glaucoma (1.33; 1.10-1.60; P=.003); and
    • AMD (1.39; 1.15-1.68; P<.001).
  • In the CLSA, incidence rates per 1000 person-years were:
    • glaucoma: 9.31 and 6.97 for those with and without sleep apnoea, respectively; and
    • AMD: 8.44 and 6.67 for those with and without sleep apnoea, respectively.
  • Patients with sleep apnoea vs those without had an increased risk of (adjusted OR; 95% CI):
    • glaucoma (1.43; 1.13-1.79; P=.003); and
    • AMD (1.39; 1.08-1.77; P=.008).

Limitations

  • Lack of data on treatment for sleep apnoea, including continuous positive airway pressure.
 

Han X, Lee SS, Ingold N, McArdle N, Khawaja AP, MacGregor S, Mackey DA. Associations of sleep apnoea with glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration: an analysis in the United Kingdom Biobank and the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. BMC Med. 2021;19(1):104. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-01973-y. PMID: 33971878. View full text

This clinical summary originally appeared on Univadis, part of the Medscape Professional Network.

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