Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome increases glaucoma risk: evidence from a meta-analysis.

Associations between Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and risk of glaucoma remained controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to investigate this association. We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, and Wangfang databases for studies before Oct. 10 2014. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to calculate the strength of association. A total of 12 studies with 36909 subjects on the association between OSAHS and glaucoma risk were included for this meta-analysis. OSAHS was associated with a significantly increased risk of glaucoma (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.44-1.88; I (2) = 43%). In the race subgroup analysis, both Asians (OR = 1.78; 95% CI, 1.49-2.12; I (2) = 0%) and Caucasians (OR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.12-3.69; I (2) = 57%) with OSAHS had increased glaucoma risk. In the subgroup analysis according to gender, both women and men were significantly associated with risk of glaucoma (OR = 1.81; 95% CI, 1.27-2.57; I (2) = 22% and OR = 1.62; 95% CI, 1.29-2.03; I (2) = 0%, respectively). In the subgroup analysis by glaucoma type, OSAHS patients showed increased primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk (OR = 1.87; 95% CI, 1.54-2.33; I (2) = 0%) but not normal tension glaucoma (NTG) risk (OR = 3.57; 95% CI, 0.89-14.43; I (2) = 0%). In addition, severe OSAHS patients had an increased glaucoma risk (OR = 5.49; 95% CI, 1.04-33.83; I (2) = 0%), while mild and moderate OSAHS patients did not show significantly increased glaucoma risk. This meta-analysis suggested that the OSAHS may be a risk factor for glaucoma.