Objective: To investigate risk factors associated with glaucomatous progression in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG) patients.

Methods: A retrospective observational study with a total of 48 PXG patients and age, sex, and visual field (VF) test mean deviation-matched 48 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients recruited from 3 university-based hospitals. Glaucomatous progression was defined by 2 criteria, either optic disc/retinal nerve fiber layer photographic assessment or serial VF data. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to detect associations between risk factors and progression in each subgroup and shared frailty model were used in total participants.

Results: In total participants, PXG diagnosis [hazard ratio (HR), 7.245; P=0.050], a higher baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) (HR, 1.221; P=0.025) and a greater number of glaucoma medications (HR, 3.537; P=0.016) were significant factors for glaucoma progression. In the PXG group, a higher baseline IOP (HR, 1.131; P<0.001), a lower IOP reduction (HR, 0.966; P=0.027), a greater number of glaucoma medications (HR, 2.413; P=0.004), and worse baseline VF mean deviation (HR, 0.875; P=0.004) were significant factors, whereas the number of glaucoma medications (HR, 3.493; P=0.019) and disc hemorrhage (HR, 3.953; P=0.043) showed association in the POAG group.

Conclusions: Factors associated with progression differed between PXG and POAG groups. Higher baseline IOP and requirement for a greater number of glaucoma medications were related with PXG progression.