A new study from Taiwan presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting showed that patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) are at high risk for developing Alzheimer disease.
Tell me about the study.
The researchers analyzed data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database collected over a 12-year period. They compared the incidence of Alzheimer disease in 15,317 people with NTG versus 61,268 age- and gender-matched people without glaucoma.
After adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, and stroke, they found that those with NTG were 52% more likely to develop Alzheimer disease compared to those without glaucoma. Individuals who were older, female, or had a history of stroke had the highest incidence.
Additionally, they found that use of glaucoma eye drops neither protected against Alzheimer disease nor increased the incidence of the disease. (via)