Association between Daily Niacin Intake and Glaucoma: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background and Aims: To determine the relationship between dietary intake of niacin and glaucoma using the data from the 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: Subjects aged 40 years and older who participated in the dietary intake interview and vision health questionnaire of NHANES were included in the study. Glaucoma diagnosis by self-report was utilized. Additionally, glaucoma diagnosis by fundus imaging and International Society Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology (ISGEO) criteria was used in subjects with available qualified retinal imaging. Survey logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between daily niacin consumption and glaucoma. Results: A total of 5768 participants were included in the study. There was a significant decrease in the crude odds of self-reported glaucoma in the third (OR 0.57, 95% Cl 0.43–0.76; p < 0.001) and fourth (OR 0.57, 95% Cl 0.37–0.90; p = 0.018) quartiles of daily niacin consumption, which equated to 21.01 to 28.22 mg/day and greater than 28.22 mg/day, respectively. A similar trend was found using fundus imaging of subjects with niacin intake in the third (OR 0.42, 95% Cl 0.25–0.72; p = 0.002) and fourth (OR 0.36, 95% Cl 0.20–0.67; p = 0.002) quartiles. After adjusting for covariates, the odds of glaucoma based on fundus imaging remained significantly lower for niacin intake in the third (OR 0.49, 95% Cl 0.28–0.87; p = 0.016) and fourth (OR 0.48, 95% Cl 0.26–0.89; p = 0.022) quartile levels. Using ISGEO criteria, there was no significant association between glaucoma and daily niacin consumption. Conclusions: Greater niacin intake may be associated with a lower chance of developing glaucoma.