Pseudoexfoliation and mortality: a population-based 30-year follow-up study.

PURPOSE To study the relationship between pseudoexfoliation (PEX) and all-cause mortality in a population in which PEX is a common finding. METHODS Survival analyses were performed in a cohort of 760 residents 65-74 years of age, examined in a population survey in the municipality of Tierp, Sweden, 1984-86. To expand the cohort, participants in other studies in Tierp were enrolled. Additionally, people were recruited by means of glaucoma case records established at the Eye Department in Tierp in 1978-2007. In this way, the cohort comprised 1524 subjects, representing more than 21,100 person-years at risk. Information on deaths was obtained from the local population register. RESULTS By the conclusion of the study, in August 2013, 1280 deaths had been reported. Of these cases, 350 were affected by PEX at baseline. No association between PEX and mortality was found (hazard ratio 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.88-1.14). CONCLUSION The results strongly suggest that PEX had no effect on all-cause mortality in the population under study.