Low cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with elevated intraocular pressure among apparently healthy adults

• Published in: PloS one 2024-04, Vol.19 (4), p.e0302624-e0302624
• Main Authors: Stanescu, Nir, Steinbuch, Lioz, Segev, Amit, Kovalyuk, Natalya, Segev, Shlomo, Maor, Elad, Segev, Fani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biology and Life Sciences; Cardiorespiratory Fitness - physiology; Care and treatment; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis; Exercise; Exercise Test; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Intraocular pressure; Intraocular Pressure - physiology; Male; Medical screening; Medicine and Health Sciences; Methods; Middle Aged; Physical Sciences; Quality of life; Risk Factors
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302624

To evaluate the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy adults. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 17,990 asymptomatic self-referred adults free of diabetes or cardiovascular disease who were screened in a preventive healthcare setting. All subjects underwent measurement of IOP and completed a maximal exercise stress test according to the Bruce protocol. Fitness was categorized into age and sex-specific quintiles according to the treadmill time and dichotomized to low (lowest quintile) and non-low fitness groups. Elevated IOP was defined as ≥ 21 mmHg. Median age was 45 (IQR 39-52) years and 12,073 (67%) were men. There were 3,351 (19%) subjects in the low fitness group. Median IOP was 14 mmHg (IQR 12-16) with elevated IOP documented in 188 (1%) subjects. Univariate binary logistic regression model demonstrated that compared with non-low fitness group, subjects in the low fitness group were 2.2 times more likely to have elevated IOP (95% CI 1.598-2.95, p