Analysis of Glaucoma Subtypes and Corresponding Demographics in a New Zealand Population

Purpose: The aim of this paper was to determine the diagnosis distribution and demographic characteristics of glaucoma in a New Zealand population. Methods: The clinical records of all patients presenting consecutively to the Auckland District Health Board Glaucoma Service over a 6-month period were reviewed. Demographic parameters including ethnicity, age at presentation, and gender were collected along with all clinical data. Results: The case records of 857 patients were reviewed. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) was the most common diagnosis (39.0%, n = 235), followed by primary-angle closure (PAC) diagnoses (24.8%, n = 149). This group was formed by the combination of narrow angle 18.1% ( n = 109), narrowangle glaucoma 0.3% ( n = 2), PAC 2.1% ( n = 13), and PAC glaucoma 4.2% ( n = 25). Normaltension glaucoma (NTG; 17.4%, n = 105), secondary glaucoma (SG; 11.5%, n = 69), ocular hypertension (5.0%, n = 30), and mixed mechanism (2.3%, n = 14) were also found. There was a significant difference in the ethnic distribution in the study population compared to the catchment population ( p < 0.001). Caucasian and Indian ethnicities were overrepresented, whereas the Pacific Island Nation ethnicity was underrepresented in all groups except SG. The Maori ethnicity was underrepresented in all groups except PAC. The underrepresentation was most prominent in POAG (only 2 patients of Pacific origin and 1 Maori patient with POAG). Significant differences were identified in gender distribution including a higher preponderance of Received: September 8, 2016 Accepted: November 8, 2016 Published online: December 13, 2016 Dr. Hussain Patel Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences University of Auckland, Level 4, 85 Park Road, Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1020 (New Zealand) E-Mail hyp99 @ yahoo.com www.karger.com/bmh This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) (http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense). Usage and distribution for commercial purposes as well as any distribution of modified material requires written permission.