A Taiwan Nationwide Population-Based Study of Socio-Demographic Factors and Comorbid Conditions Associated with Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy

Abstract

<b><i>Aims:</i></b> The aim of the study was to investigate the socio-demographic factors and systemic conditions associated with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This was a nationwide population-based retrospective case-controlled study that recruited 9,261 NAION patients selected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The control group consisted of 9,261 age-, sex-, and index date-matched non-NAION patients recruited from the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, 2000. NAION was designated in the database by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) as “code 377.41: ischaemic optic neuropathy without ICD-9-CM code 446.5: giant cell arteritis.” Associated socio-demographic factors and systemic medical conditions were analysed using the McNemar’s test, and continuous variables were analysed using the paired <i>t</i> test. The odds ratio (OR) and adjusted OR of developing NAION were compared using univariate logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression analyses, respectively. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Patients with systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, chronic kidney disease, and hypotension were more likely to develop NAION than controls (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.67–1.97, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001; adjusted OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.36–1.57, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001; adjusted OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.33–1.57, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001; adjusted OR = 3.26, 95% CI = 2.65–4.01, <i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.0001; adjusted OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.31–4.10, <i>p</i> = 0.0039, respectively). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> NAION is strongly associated with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, chronic kidney disease, and hypotension.