ABSTRACT
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a common disease. Elevated blood pressure has been reported as a significant risk factor for the development and progression of POAG. PURPOSE: The goal of the present study was to test the effect of systemic antihypertensive drugs on the risk of POAG using cis-Mendelian randomization (cis-MR) approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for POAG (15229 cases and 177 473 controls) and from GWAS for systolic blood pressure meta-analysis (757 601 individuals). Drug targets for beta-blockers and for calcium channel blockers and genes coding these targets were identified via DrugBank. Genetic variants within the regions of these genes were selected for the Mendelian randomization analysis. RESULTS: The effect of a 10-mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure caused by calcium channel blockers on the risk of POAG amounted to: odds ratio (OR) 0.90 (95% CI 0.63-1.30, p=0.59). For beta blockers the cis-MR estimated effect on the risk of POAG was OR=0.95 (95% CI 0.34-2.70, p=0.92). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study do not confirm the hypothesis of causal effect of antihypertensive drugs intake on the risk of developing POAG.
