In a basic multivariable model adjusted for age, age-squared, sex, ethnicity, deprivation, spherical equivalent, and non-statin hypolipidemic medication use, statin use was associated with lower IOP (model 1: difference in IOP = −0.13 mm Hg,
P = 2.9E-05;
Table 2). This association was slightly attenuated with additional adjustment for cigarette smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and caffeinated beverage consumption (model 2: difference = −0.10 mm Hg,
P = 0.0027). The association remained significant after adjustment for covariates related to metabolic syndrome; namely, BMI, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and HgA1c, as well as cardiovascular disease, which is often co-existent with serum lipid disorders (model 3: difference = −0.12 mm Hg,
P = 7.4E-04). However, the relationship became nonsignificant and attenuated after additional adjustment for systemic beta-blocker use (model 4: difference = −0.06 mm Hg,
P = 0.10) and remained nonsignificant in model 5 that also controlled for serum total cholesterol level and triglyceride levels (model 5: difference = 0.05 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.02 to 0.13,
P = 0.17). Similarly, in model 5, specific statin types were not significantly associated with IOP (see
Table 2). In sensitivity analysis excluding prevalent glaucoma cases, the relation between statin use and IOP remained nonsignificant (model 5: difference = 0.04 mm Hg, 95% CI = −0.04 to 0.11,
P = 0.31;
Supplementary Table S3). Results also remained unchanged in an alternative model where the reference group was restricted to participants not on any hypolipidemic agents (versus the larger group of non-statin users); furthermore, use of non-statin hypolipidemic drugs showed no association with IOP in a fully adjusted multivariable model (difference = 0.005 mm Hg, 95% CI = −0.14 to 0.15,
P = 0.95;
Supplementary Table S4).