Metabolic Syndrome as a Risk Factor for High Ocular Tension

Abstract

Purpose: : To examine the relationship between the metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods: : This observational study involved 10182 apparently healthy Japanese, 18 to 79 years of age, with a mean IOP of 14.6±3.0 mmHg in a medical health checkup program at Murakami Memorial Hospital. IOP was examined by noncontact tonometer between 9- and 10-o’clock AM. High ocular tension was defined as IOP more than 21 mmHg without optic disc abnormalities or history of receiving any anti-glaucoma therapy. Modified criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III were used to characterize the metabolic syndrome. Air temperature was assessed from the Gifu Meteorological Observatory, Gifu, Japan.

Results: : The prevalence of high ocular tension was higher in the male and female subjects with the metabolic syndrome than in those without (P<0.01, both). There was a linear relationship between the rate of high ocular tension and the number of components of metabolic syndrome, both in males and females. To analyze by logistic regression, the metabolic syndrome was positively, and maximum temperature was negatively correlated with high ocular tension in males (adjusted odds ratio: 2.92 [95% CI, 1.79 to 4.78] and 0.95 [95% CI, 0.91-0.98], respectively) and in females (adjusted odds ratio: 9.94 [95% CI, 3.17 to 31.16] and 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86-1], respectively).

Conclusions: : The metabolic syndrome is associated with high ocular tension. When evaluating IOP, the metabolic syndrome should be taken into consideration.

Keywords: intraocular pressure • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment