Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/mjrl3ur8k9
Association of Pulse Wave Velocity with Intraocular Pressure in a General Adult Population: Opportunistic Screening in the “Hunting the Silent Killer” Program
Marta Bolješić Dumančić
Helena Polanščak
Zvonimir Kolarević
Klara Grgorinić
Marko Zeljko
Dubravka Biuk
Antonio Kokot
Ana Jelaković
Marija Domislović
Bojan Jelaković
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a key risk factor for glaucoma, while pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an established marker of cardio-reno-neuro-metabolic health. Emerging evidence suggests that elevated PWV may impair ocular perfusion, thereby contributing to optic nerve damage and glaucoma. Our aim was to analyze the association of PWV with IOP in the general adult population through an opportunistic screening study.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2025 on the island of Dugi Otok, Croatia, as a part of the public health action “Hunting the Silent Killer”. A total of 247 adult participants were recruited through voluntary, opportunistic sampling. PWV was measured in a supine position using a pOpmètre and IOP was measured using the Icare® IC200 tonometer. Subjects were divided into diagnosed glaucoma group A (N = 20) and non-glaucoma group B (N = 227).
RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 65 years, with 57% women. Median PWV and IOP were similar between participants with and without glaucoma (PWV: 9.0 vs. 8.8 m/s; IOP right eye: 17.5 vs. 17.0 mmHg; left eye: 18 vs. 17 mmHg). Spearman’s correlation showed no significant relationship between PWV and IOP (right eye ρ = –0.08; left eye ρ = –0.05). Logistic regression and ROC analyses indicated no significant association or discriminative ability of PWV for elevated IOP (right eye AUC = 0.61; left eye AUC = 0.57) or glaucoma (AUC = 0.49).
CONCLUSION: In our study, IOP was not associated with PWV which is not in line with previous studies reporting an association between arterial stiffness and glaucoma. In addition to the small sample size, the methods used to measure PWV and IOP could explain this discrepancy. Further studies with larger cohorts and gold standard techniques are needed to clarify the relationship between vascular stiffness and ocular hypertension.
Keywords
arterial stiffness; general population; intraocular pressure; pulse wave velocity
Hrčak ID:
346148
URI
Publication date:
28.12.2025.
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