The study was done to investigate the association between exposure to IOP–lowering medications during pregnancy and neonatal adverse outcomes.

This retrospective, cohort study used the JMDC Claims Database (JMDC, Tokyo, Japan), 2005–2018. We extracted data on pregnant women with glaucoma, including dispensation of (1) any IOP-lowering medications, (2) only PGs and 3) only beta-blockers, during the first trimester. Compared the frequency of CA, PB, LBW and the composite outcome of these three measures, between the women with and without IOP-lowering medications. We calculated propensity scores (PSs) using logistic regression in which use of IOP-lowering medications was regressed against known confounders.

826 eligible women, 91 (11%) of whom had received any IOP-lowering medications were analysed. CA occurred in 9.9% and 6.4%, PB in 2.2% and 4.5%, LBW in 9.9% and 6.0% and composite outcome in 17.6% and 13.3% of mothers with and without IOP-lowering medications, respectively. After adjustment for PS, IOP-lowering medications were not significantly associated with more frequent CA (adjusted OR (aOR), 1.43; 95% CI, 0.66 to 3.12), PB (aOR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.10 to 1.97), LBW (aOR, 2.11; 95% CI, 0.98 to 4.57) or composite outcome (aOR, 1.40; 95% CI, 0.78 to 2.53). Results were similar regarding PGs only and beta-blockers only.

The study concluded that the IOP-lowering medications during the first trimester were not significantly associated with increase in CA, PB or LBW.

Reference: https://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2020/09/09/bjophthalmol-2020-316198

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