Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implantation in African American and white patients.

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the results of Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implantation in African American and white patients.

METHODS:

In this retrospective, comparative case-control study, we reviewed 86 eyes of 86 patients, comparing the surgical outcomes in white patients (n = 43) with matched African American patients (n = 43). Success was defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) between 6 mm Hg and 21 mm Hg with or without glaucoma medicines, without further glaucoma surgery, and without loss of light perception (definition 1) and an IOP between 6 mm Hg and 21 mm Hg and achievement of a 20% reduction in IOP from the preoperative level (definition 2).

RESULTS:

The mean follow-up was 2.3 years for white patients and 2.5 years for African American patients (P = .50). At the last follow-up, the mean +/- SD IOP was 15.3 +/- 3.3 mm Hg and 15.3 +/- 3.5 mm Hg (P = .77) in white and African American patients, respectively. Life table analysis showed a significantly lower success rate for African American patients compared with white patients by both definition 1 (P = .03) and definition 2 (P = .006). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis detected African American race as a risk factor for surgical failure by both definitions. Visual outcomes and complications were comparable between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION:

African American patients have a greater risk of surgical failure after Ahmed Glaucoma Valve implantation compared with white patients.