Abstract
Purpose: :
Due to its low prevalence in the general population, screening for POAG may have a low predictive value of a positive test. Screening of high-risk groups may yield better results. If having a first-degree relative with glaucoma is a risk factor for developing the disease, a detection campaign focused in the relatives of glaucoma patients would have more probabilities of detection. The purpose of this study was to perform a glaucoma detection campaign among first-degree relatives of glaucoma patients. The results were compared with a control group of a detection campaign performed among patients attending the ophthalmology service of our institution for the first time.
Methods: :
First-degree relatives of patients with POAG were included. A control group of subjects older than 55 y/o was also screened. Subjects underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. Glaucoma was defined using the definition of the International Society for Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology.
Results: :
26.2% of 61 family members of 35 glaucoma patients, and 6% of 50 controls were diagnosed with glaucoma. Difference between groups was statistically significant (p =0.0052). Odds Ratio was 5.5 (IC 95%: 1.5-20.4).
Conclusions: :
Glaucoma detection was more effective when family members were screened when compared with the control group. In this study the probability of getting glaucoma with a family member affected was greater than the control group.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • detection • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment