Association Between PDE-5 Inhibitor Therapy and the Hazard of Open-Angle Glaucoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the association between phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE-5i) therapy and the development of glaucoma suspect (GS) status or open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in men with erectile dysfunction (ED).

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study using deidentified electronic health records.

SUBJECTS

Male adults aged ≥ 40 years with ED, with or without chronic PDE-5i exposure.

METHODS

We used propensity score matching (PSM) to balance demographics, systemic and ophthalmic comorbidities, medications, laboratory measures. Additionally, we applied Cox proportional models on the unmatched cohorts to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Development of GS or OAG at 1, 2, and 3-years following PDE-5i exposure.

RESULTS

Before matching, 40,676 men received PDE-5i therapy and 32,415 had no exposure. After PSM, the development of GS status was less frequent among PDE-5i users at 1 year (6.49% vs 9.73%, P <.01), 2 years (9.27% vs 10.86%, P <.01), and 3 years (11.17% vs 12.06%, P =.01). Similarly, the development of OAG was less frequent among PDE-5i users at 1 year (2.13% vs 3.22%, P <.01), 2 years (3.00% vs 3.80%, P <.01), and 3 years (3.88% vs 4.28%, P =.04). Cox proportional models demonstrated reduced hazards for GS at 1 year (aHR 0.78; 95% C: 0.75-0.81; P <.01), 2 years (0.89; 0.86-0.93; P <.01), and 3 years (0.94; 0.90-0.97; P =.01), and for OAG at 1 year (0.76; 0.71-0.81; P <.01), 2 years (0.79; 0.75-0.83; P <.01), and 3 years (0.84; 0.79-0.88; P =.01).

CONCLUSION

Chronic PDE-5i use was associated with a lower hazard of developing GS and OAG over 1-, 2-, and 3-years of follow-up. These findings suggest a potential protective association between PDE-5i and glaucoma development that requires confirmation in prospective studies.

INTRODUCTION

G laucoma is a chronic, progressive optic neuropathy characterized by degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons, leading to irreversible vision loss. Although its exact pathogenesis remains unclear, glaucoma develops through a multifactorial process in which various interrelated risk factors contribute to disease susceptibility and progression. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) remains the most established modifiable risk factor. , However, patients still experience disease progression despite IOP reduction, and develop glaucoma within the so-called “physiological” IOP range, suggesting that IOP-independent mechanisms also play a significant role in disease development and progression. ,, The vascular theory complements this framework by proposing that impaired blood supply to the optic nerve head contributes to RGC loss, with factors such as systemic hypotension, vasospasm, and atherosclerosis potentially reducing optic nerve perfusion and promoting glaucomatous damage. ,,,,,

More recently, investigators have examined the effects of systemic medications, including β-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and statins, on ocular blood flow and glaucoma-related outcomes. ,,,, Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) represent a class of systemic agents that enhance endogenous nitric oxide signaling, resulting in smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation. , Although sildenafil and related agents are primarily prescribed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and pulmonary arterial hypertension, growing evidence suggests that their vascular and cytoprotective effects may have broader therapeutic relevance. In Raynaud phenomenon, PDE-5i have been shown to improve digital blood flow and reduce attack frequency and duration, supporting a role in disorders characterized by impaired microvascular perfusion. In cystic fibrosis, experimental and early clinical studies have suggested that PDE-5 inhibition may improve vascular endothelial abnormalities and exercise capacity. In metabolic disease, sildenafil has been associated with improved endothelial function and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. In neurodegenerative disease, preclinical, physiologic, and observational studies have raised the possibility that sildenafil may enhance cerebral blood flow and modulate pathways relevant to Alzheimer’s disease, although definitive clinical benefit remains unproven.

These vascular effects may also be relevant to ocular diseases. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that PDE-5 inhibition can increase ocular blood flow, particularly within the choroidal circulation, ,,, without consistently affecting IOP. ,,, Because vascular dysregulation and impaired ocular perfusion have been implicated in the pathophysiology of glaucoma, medications that improve microvascular circulation could plausibly influence disease risk. However, the relationship between PDE-5i use and glaucoma remains uncertain. Given the widespread use of these medications and the potential relevance of vascular mechanisms in glaucoma pathogenesis, we conducted this study to evaluate the association between PDE-5i exposure and glaucoma development, hypothesizing that PDE-5i use may be associated with a lower hazard of glaucoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

DATA SOURCE

This retrospective cohort study utilized deidentified electronic health record data from the TriNetX United States (U.S.). Collaborative Network, comprising 67 participating health care organizations (HCOs) and more than 130 million patients. Because all data were fully deidentified, the study was considered exempt from Institutional Review Board oversight by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision) and followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guidelines.

Clinical conditions were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes, with diagnoses recorded under ICD-9 prior to 2015 internally mapped to their ICD-10 equivalents. Medication exposures were defined using RxNorm identifiers, and procedural data were identified using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes.

INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA AND STUDY GROUPS

Male patients aged ≥ 40 years with a diagnosis of ED (N52) were identified and stratified into 2 cohorts: an exposed cohort comprising men who had prescribed sildenafil (RxNorm: 136 411), tadalafil (RxNorm: 358 263), vardenafil (RxNorm: 306 674), or avanafil (RxNorm: 1 291 301), and a comparator group comprising men with ED and no documented PDE-5i use. To restrict the analysis to chronic users, exposure was defined as receipt of at least 4 prescriptions for a PDE-5i agent. Patients with a prior diagnosis of glaucoma suspect (GS) or open-angle glaucoma (OAG) were excluded. Glaucoma suspect and OAG were identified using parent ICD-10 codes H40.0 and H40.1, respectively, which, within the TriNetX platform, encompass all associated subcodes. To enhance outcome ascertainment and minimize detection bias, eligible patients were required to have at least 3 ophthalmology encounters within 3 years following fulfillment of the exposure definition (≥ 4 PDE-5i prescriptions). The index date was defined as the first date on which all inclusion criteria were satisfied and occurred between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2025. The primary outcomes were the hazards of development of GS and OAG at 1-, 2-, and 3-year intervals following the index date.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to reduce baseline confounding between patients with ED exposed to PDE-5i and those without PDE-5i exposure. A 1:1 nearest-neighbor greedy matching algorithm with a caliper of 0.1 pooled SDs was implemented within the TriNetX platform. Covariate balance after matching was evaluated using standardized mean differences, with values < 0.1 considered indicative of adequate balance.

The matching model incorporated demographic characteristics (age, race, and ethnicity); systemic comorbidities spanning cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, metabolic, renal, pulmonary, neurologic, psychiatric, and substance use disorders; and ophthalmic comorbidities (myopia). Genitourinary conditions and procedures relevant to ED management, including benign prostatic disease, prostate malignancy, penile disorders, and prior medical or surgical interventions for sexual dysfunction, were included to account for disease severity and treatment pathways. Additional covariates comprised key medication classes (antihypertensives, statins, nitrates, testosterone, and incretin-based therapies), laboratory parameters (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and hemoglobin A1c), biometric measures (body mass index), and socioeconomic indicators related to education, employment, housing, and environmental circumstances.

To further mitigate detection bias related to differences in ophthalmic surveillance, the frequency of ophthalmic encounters and diagnostic testing, including comprehensive and intermediate eye examinations, gonioscopy, retinal nerve fiber layer optical coherence tomography (OCT), and visual field testing, was included in the matching process. The complete list of codes used for covariate construction and matching is provided in E-supplement 1 .

Additionally, Cox proportional hazards models were applied to the unmatched cohorts with adjustment for the same covariates to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and corresponding 95% CIs (CIs). Baseline characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics, with continuous variables reported as means ± SDs and categorical variables as proportions. All analyses were performed using the TriNetX analytics platform, and statistical significance was defined as a 2-sided P -value <.05.

RESULTS

BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS

Before matching, the cohort included 40,676 males with ED treated with PDE-5i and 32,415 males with ED not treated with PDE-5i. The mean age at index was 61.8 ± 10.2 years in the PDE-5i group compared with 64.3 ± 11.9 years in the no-PDE-5i group. In the PDE-5i cohort, 69.5% were non-Hispanic or Latino (vs 66.7%), 62.2% were White (vs 70.0%), 26.8% were Black or African American (vs 18.7%).

Systemic comorbidities were generally less prevalent in the PDE-5i group, including hypertensive diseases (73.7% vs 75.2%), cerebrovascular disease (11.5% vs 16.3%), chronic kidney disease (14.4% vs 20.0%), and diabetes mellitus (43.7% vs 50.1%). Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism (76.8% vs 73.1%) and sleep disorders (39.8% vs 37.2%) were more frequent among PDE-5i users. Genitourinary and sexual health–related conditions, including testicular dysfunction (13.7% vs 11.4%) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (38.1% vs 36.6%), were more frequent among PDE-5i users. After PSM, both cohorts included 23,603 patients with well-balanced baseline characteristics ( Table 1 ).

TABLE 1

Baseline Characteristics of Erectile Dysfunction Patients Treated With PDE-5i Versus No Exposure, Before and After Propensity Score Matching

Characteristic Before Matching After Matching
PDE-5i (n, %)
n = 40,676
No-PDE-5i (n, %)
n = 32,415
Standardized Mean
Difference
PDE-5i (n, %)
n = 23,603
No-PDE-5i (n, %)
n = 23,603
Standardized Mean
Difference
Demographics
Age at index (mean ± SD) 61.8 ± 10.2 64.3 ± 11.9 0.227 62.9 ± 10.2 63.0 ± 11.9 0.009
Hispanic or Latino 2779 (6.8%) 3343 (10.3%) 0.125 2029 (8.6%) 2071 (8.8%) 0.006
Not Hispanic or Latino 28,243 (69.5%) 21,563 (66.7%) 0.061 15,803 (67.0%) 15,816 (67.0%) 0.001
Unknown ethnicity 9604 (23.6%) 7428 (23.0%) 0.016 5771 (24.5%) 5716 (24.2%) 0.005
White 25,265 (62.2%) 22,643 (70.0%) 0.166 15,968 (67.7%) 16,004 (67.8%) 0.003
Black or African American 10,890 (26.8%) 6041 (18.7%) 0.195 5030 (21.3%) 4962 (21.0%) 0.007
Asian 1133 (2.8%) 693 (2.1%) 0.042 574 (2.4%) 578 (2.4%) 0.001
American Indian or Alaska Native 158 (0.4%) 131 (0.4%) 0.003 105 (0.4%) 102 (0.4%) 0.002
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 174 (0.4%) 122 (0.4%) 0.008 102 (0.4%) 98 (0.4%) 0.003
Other race 743 (1.8%) 1118 (3.5%) 0.102 606 (2.6%) 620 (2.6%) 0.004
Unknown race 2263 (5.6%) 1586 (4.9%) 0.03 1218 (5.2%) 1239 (5.2%) 0.004
Diagnoses
Hypertensive diseases 29,922 (73.7%) 24,327 (75.2%) 0.036 17,407 (73.7%) 17,452 (73.9%) 0.004
Ischemic heart diseases 9589 (23.6%) 10,680 (33.0%) 0.21 6680 (28.3%) 6760 (28.6%) 0.008
Cerebrovascular diseases 4685 (11.5%) 5258 (16.3%) 0.137 3259 (13.8%) 3347 (14.2%) 0.011
Chronic lower respiratory diseases 10,155 (25.0%) 8043 (24.9%) 0.003 5913 (25.1%) 5895 (25.0%) 0.002
Chronic kidney disease 5857 (14.4%) 6471 (20.0%) 0.149 3976 (16.8%) 3981 (16.9%) 0.001
Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism 31,208 (76.8%) 23,639 (73.1%) 0.086 17,615 (74.6%) 17,575 (74.5%) 0.004
Overweight, obesity 13,984 (34.4%) 10,954 (33.9%) 0.011 8078 (34.2%) 8056 (34.1%) 0.002
Diabetes mellitus 17,739 (43.7%) 16,206 (50.1%) 0.13 10,897 (46.2%) 10,935 (46.3%) 0.003
Sleep disorders 16,149 (39.8%) 12,023 (37.2%) 0.053 9004 (38.1%) 8970 (38.0%) 0.003
Disorders of thyroid gland 5370 (13.2%) 4760 (14.7%) 0.043 3304 (14.0%) 3306 (14.0%) 0.001
Other hypothyroidism 3660 (9.0%) 3471 (10.7%) 0.058 2336 (9.9%) 2360 (10.0%) 0.003
Thyrotoxicosis 743 (1.8%) 575 (1.8%) 0.004 415 (1.8%) 415 (1.8%) 0.001
Nicotine dependence 8161 (20.1%) 6132 (19.0%) 0.028 4631 (19.6%) 4665 (19.8%) 0.004
Alcohol related disorders 4114 (10.1%) 2967 (9.2%) 0.032 2263 (9.6%) 2298 (9.7%) 0.005
Opioid related disorders 1167 (2.9%) 941 (2.9%) 0.002 659 (2.8%) 684 (2.9%) 0.006
Cocaine related disorders 1005 (2.5%) 636 (2.0%) 0.034 508 (2.2%) 510 (2.2%) 0.001
Mental & behavioral disorders due to substance use 11,415 (28.1%) 8502 (26.3%) 0.041 6410 (27.2%) 6475 (27.4%) 0.006
Depressive episode 9051 (22.3%) 7567 (23.4%) 0.027 5410 (22.9%) 5408 (22.9%) 0.001
Other anxiety disorders 9139 (22.5%) 6816 (21.1%) 0.034 5213 (22.1%) 5201 (22.0%) 0.001
Multiple sclerosis 326 (0.8%) 215 (0.7%) 0.016 177 (0.7%) 165 (0.7%) 0.006
Parkinson disease 387 (1.0%) 545 (1.7%) 0.064 294 (1.2%) 282 (1.2%) 0.005
Paraplegia/quadriplegia 187 (0.5%) 213 (0.7%) 0.027 133 (0.6%) 132 (0.6%) 0.001
Myopia 7830 (19.3%) 6033 (18.7%) 0.016 4696 (19.9%) 4640 (19.7%) 0.006
Metabolic syndrome 907 (2.2%) 662 (2.0%) 0.013 509 (2.2%) 515 (2.2%) 0.002
Testicular dysfunction 5559 (13.7%) 3695 (11.4%) 0.068 2880 (12.2%) 2849 (12.1%) 0.004
Hyperfunction of pituitary gland 398 (1.0%) 321 (1.0%) 0.001 223 (0.9%) 227 (1.0%) 0.002
Benign prostatic hyperplasia 15,472 (38.1%) 11,823 (36.6%) 0.031 8698 (36.9%) 8786 (37.2%) 0.008
Other disorders of penis 2866 (7.1%) 2142 (6.6%) 0.017 1539 (6.5%) 1555 (6.6%) 0.003
Inflammatory diseases of prostate 2695 (6.6%) 1428 (4.4%) 0.097 1191 (5.0%) 1202 (5.1%) 0.002
Acquired absence of genital organs 1001 (2.5%) 1177 (3.6%) 0.068 695 (2.9%) 712 (3.0%) 0.004
Personal history of prostate cancer 1670 (4.1%) 2647 (8.2%) 0.17 1378 (5.8%) 1388 (5.9%) 0.002
Procedures
Cataract surgery– standard 2166 (5.3%) 1659 (5.1%) 0.009 1250 (5.3%) 1223 (5.2%) 0.005
Cataract surgery– complex 503 (1.2%) 468 (1.4%) 0.018 329 (1.4%) 320 (1.4%) 0.003
Introduction procedures on penis 1003 (2.5%) 818 (2.5%) 0.004 519 (2.2%) 519 (2.2%) 0.001
Surgical procedures on penis 1466 (3.6%) 1497 (4.6%) 0.051 775 (3.3%) 768 (3.3%) 0.002
Injection– corpora cavernosa 931 (2.3%) 775 (2.4%) 0.007 491 (2.1%) 481 (2.0%) 0.003
Irrigation– priapism 44 (0.1%) 37 (0.1%) 0.002 24 (0.1%) 26 (0.1%) 0.003
Injection– alprostadil 52 (0.1%) 46 (0.1%) 0.004 21 (0.1%) 25 (0.1%) 0.005
Injection– papaverine 105 (0.3%) 107 (0.3%) 0.013 66 (0.3%) 67 (0.3%) 0.001
Injection– phentolamine 13 (0.0%) 30 (0.1%) 0.024 11 (0.0%) 10 (0.0%) 0.002
Injection– testosterone 331 (0.8%) 114 (0.4%) 0.061 101 (0.4%) 108 (0.5%) 0.004
Therapeutic injection 8043 (19.8%) 6042 (18.7%) 0.028 4582 (19.4%) 4595 (19.5%) 0.001
Inflatable penile prosthesis 63 (0.2%) 387 (1.2%) 0.127 61 (0.3%) 56 (0.2%) 0.004
Inflatable device (supply) 33 (0.1%) 215 (0.7%) 0.096 32 (0.1%) 32 (0.1%) 0.001
Prosthetic implant NOS 350 (0.9%) 253 (0.8%) 0.009 191 (0.8%) 198 (0.8%) 0.003
Medications
Corticosteroids 28,026 (69.0%) 19,194 (59.4%) 0.202 15,095 (64.0%) 15,038 (63.7%) 0.005
Statins 27,343 (67.3%) 18,997 (58.8%) 0.178 14,900 (63.1%) 14,879 (63.0%) 0.002
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors 18,228 (44.9%) 12,715 (39.3%) 0.112 9863 (41.8%) 9969 (42.2%) 0.009
Diuretics 17,900 (44.1%) 13,139 (40.6%) 0.069 9933 (42.1%) 9968 (42.2%) 0.003
Beta blockers 17,474 (43.0%) 14,825 (45.8%) 0.057 10,556 (44.7%) 10,646 (45.1%) 0.008
Calcium channel blockers 14,748 (36.3%) 10,624 (32.9%) 0.072 8106 (34.3%) 8103 (34.3%) 0.001
Angiotensin II inhibitors 9637 (23.7%) 6743 (20.9%) 0.069 5293 (22.4%) 5291 (22.4%) 0.001
Nitroglycerin 5381 (13.2%) 5805 (18.0%) 0.13 3783 (16.0%) 3774 (16.0%) 0.001
Isosorbide 862 (2.1%) 2062 (6.4%) 0.212 811 (3.4%) 797 (3.4%) 0.003
Isosorbide dinitrate 275 (0.7%) 657 (2.0%) 0.117 243 (1.0%) 244 (1.0%) 0.001
Clonidine 1766 (4.3%) 1554 (4.8%) 0.022 1101 (4.7%) 1083 (4.6%) 0.004
Dexmedetomidine 1680 (4.1%) 1817 (5.6%) 0.069 1183 (5.0%) 1200 (5.1%) 0.003
Testosterone 3976 (9.8%) 1848 (5.7%) 0.153 1685 (7.1%) 1629 (6.9%) 0.009
Insulin 9828 (24.2%) 9137 (28.3%) 0.093 6250 (26.5%) 6248 (26.5%) 0.001
Metformin 13,031 (32.1%) 8991 (27.8%) 0.093 7141 (30.3%) 7220 (30.6%) 0.007
Oral hypoglycemic agents 14,358 (35.3%) 10,702 (33.1%) 0.047 8085 (34.3%) 8178 (34.6%) 0.008
Sitagliptin 2600 (6.4%) 1638 (5.1%) 0.057 1338 (5.7%) 1329 (5.6%) 0.002
Empagliflozin 2129 (5.2%) 1600 (4.9%) 0.013 1219 (5.2%) 1254 (5.3%) 0.007
Pioglitazone 1739 (4.3%) 1208 (3.7%) 0.028 931 (3.9%) 930 (3.9%) 0.001
Glyburide 1524 (3.8%) 992 (3.1%) 0.038 762 (3.2%) 789 (3.3%) 0.006
Glimepiride 1670 (4.1%) 1313 (4.1%) 0.003 943 (4.0%) 976 (4.1%) 0.007
Dapagliflozin 784 (1.9%) 658 (2.0%) 0.008 510 (2.2%) 492 (2.1%) 0.005
Canagliflozin 729 (1.8%) 407 (1.3%) 0.044 378 (1.6%) 349 (1.5%) 0.01
Linagliptin 518 (1.3%) 408 (1.3%) 0.001 281 (1.2%) 295 (1.2%) 0.005
Saxagliptin 181 (0.4%) 92 (0.3%) 0.027 82 (0.3%) 77 (0.3%) 0.004
Alogliptin 111 (0.3%) 46 (0.1%) 0.029 46 (0.2%) 39 (0.2%) 0.007
Other hypoglycemic agents 3727 (9.2%) 2452 (7.6%) 0.057 2006 (8.5%) 1982 (8.4%) 0.004
Dulaglutide 1643 (4.0%) 1075 (3.3%) 0.038 869 (3.7%) 866 (3.7%) 0.001
Semaglutide 1592 (3.9%) 1004 (3.1%) 0.044 854 (3.6%) 827 (3.5%) 0.006
Liraglutide 1185 (2.9%) 718 (2.2%) 0.044 595 (2.5%) 588 (2.5%) 0.002
Tirzepatide 491 (1.2%) 304 (0.9%) 0.026 270 (1.1%) 258 (1.1%) 0.005
Exenatide 595 (1.5%) 301 (0.9%) 0.049 252 (1.1%) 245 (1.0%) 0.003
Glipizide 4166 (10.3%) 3055 (9.4%) 0.027 2322 (9.8%) 2318 (9.8%) 0.001
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Sep 20, 2026 | Posted by in OPHTHALMOLOGY | Comments Off on Association Between PDE-5 Inhibitor Therapy and the Hazard of Open-Angle Glaucoma

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