[Positive family anamnesis in patients in the "DFG (German Research Group) Glaucoma Clinical Research Group].

BACKGROUND

Recent evidence of hereditary aspects of glaucomatous diseases propose investigations on the family history of these diseases.

METHODS

All 467 persons who were referred to the glaucoma service of the "Clinical Research Group 'Glaucoma'" of the German Research Foundation at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg were questioned concerning glaucomatous diseases in their consanguinity.

RESULTS

33.2% of all examined persons reported of at least one family member with a glaucomatous disease. In 117 individuals no glaucomatous disease was detected, 24.8% of them reported of a positive family history for glaucoma. 37.9% of the 87 patients suffering from a manifest open-angle glaucoma knew of glaucoma in their respective families. Of 11 patients (with a manifest open-angle glaucoma) a pedigree with affected members in at least three generations could be obtained. One patient suffered from a juvenile open angle-glaucoma with an autosomal dominant trait.

CONCLUSION

The proportion of persons and patients with a familial history for a glaucomatous disease in a specialized center is higher than in field studies.