Glaucoma risk may be lower with higher folate intake

(HealthDay)—The risk of exfoliation glaucoma (EG)/secondary glaucoma (SEG) may be lowered with higher total folate intake, according to a study published in the May issue of JAMA Ophthalmology.

Jae H. Kang, Sc.D., from Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, and colleagues analyzed data from a subset of 78,980 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study and 41,221 men participating in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Participants were 40 years or older, free of glaucoma, had completed diet questionnaires, and reported eye examinations.

The researchers found that, in pooled analyses, vitamin B₆ and vitamin B₁₂ intake was not associated with EG/SEG risk (P = 0.52 and 0.99, respectively). A trend of reduced risk was detected with higher folate intake, with a relative risk for EG/SEG for the highest folate quintile (≥654 µg/d) of 0.75 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.54 to 1.04; P = 0.02), compared to the lowest quintile. For supplemental folate intake, an association was seen, but no association was seen for dietary folate only (P = 0.003 and 0.64, respectively). There was a modest suggestive inverse association observed for greater frequency of multivitamin use (current multivitamin use of at least six times per week versus nonuse multivariable relative risk, 0.84; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.11; P = 0.06).

"Higher total folate intake was associated with a suggestive lower risk for EG/SEG, supporting a possible causal role of homocysteine in EG/SEG," the authors write.