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Editors Selection IGR 14-1

Risk factors: Coffee and IOP

Comment by Kuldev Singh on:

13204 Effects of caffeine on intraocular pressure: the Blue Mountains Eye Study, Chandrasekaran S; Rochtchina E; Mitchell P, Journal of Glaucoma, 2005; 14: 504-507

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Chandrasekaran et al. (954) examined cross sectional data from a survey of 3654 subjects residing in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia for an association between caffeine intake and intraocular pressure. Amongst the 49 patients with open angle glaucoma identified in the study, those who drank coffee had a higher IOP than those who didn't in both the univariate and multivariate analyses. The amount of coffee consumed did not correlate with the level of IOP in the multivariate analysis. Similarly, there was no association found between coffee or caffeine ingestion and IOP in subjects with ocular hypertension or others without open angle glaucoma. While the findings of the study are interesting, a further confirmatory survey or study would be needed for one to conclude that coffee or caffeine consumption is significantly related to IOP in open angle glaucoma patients. The fact that no such association was found in the 111 ocular hypertensive patients in this same survey, weakens the hypothesis that there is a significant association. In large surveys where many parameters are ascertained with regard to an association with a disease or a risk factor for a disease, there is always an increased possibility that an association can be found that is based upon chance alone, despite statistical correction. At the present time, patients with open angle glaucoma who consume caffeinated products should not be told to stop for the purposes of better IOP control. Further confirmatory work is required prior to such a recommendation.

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