Caffeine may be linked to POAG risk in patients with family history of the disease

Overall caffeine intake does not appear to be associated with increased risk of primary open-angle glaucoma, but caffeine may elevate risk of the high-tension form of the disease among patients with a family history of glaucoma, a study by researchers in Boston suggests.

"This result may be due to chance, but warrants further study," the authors said.

Jae Hee Kang, ScD, and colleagues obtained medical records for 121,172 participants — 79,120 women and 42,052 men — aged 40 years or older who did not have primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The researchers evaluated caffeine consumption, which transiently increases IOP, and potential confounders to determine whether caffeine is associated with the risk of POAG.

By reviewing the records of these patients, the investigators were able to confirm 1,011 cases of incident POAG.

Compared with a daily intake of less than 150 mg of caffeine, the pooled multivariate risk ratios for POAG were 1.05 for consumption of 150 mg to 299 mg per day, 1.19 for 300 mg to 449 mg per day, 1.13 for 450 mg to 559 mg per day, and 1.17 for 600 mg or more per day. However, the risk ratio was 1.61 for participants who consumed five or more cups of caffeinated coffee daily (P = .02), according to the study.

The investigators found no association between tea or caffeinated cola intake and risk of POAG.

Higher caffeine intake was more adversely associated with POAG among participants who had a family history of glaucoma, particularly in cases with elevated IOP (P = .0009), according to the study, published in the May issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.