Screening for family members of African-Caribbean glaucoma cases
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of the utility of cascade screening in high-risk family members of African-Caribbean glaucoma cases
IRAS ID
147211
Contact name
Christopher Hammond
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King’s College London
Research summary
About half of all people with glaucoma are undiagnosed. The prevalence of glaucoma in African-Caribbean people is double that in Caucasian people and they are 6-8 times more likely to be blind due to a combination of earlier onset, more severe disease and less engagement with screening services. Also, relatives of people with glaucoma have 10 times the risk of glaucoma compared with people with no family history.
This study will examine whether it would be effective to screen siblings, children and parents of African-Caribbean glaucoma patients. We will determine what proportion of this high risk group has glaucoma or suspected glaucoma and to gain a better understanding of how successful a screening programme might be and how screening services could be improved we will explore what factors influence volunteers to participate through a questionnaire. Our findings will inform us as to whether screening specific groups at high risk would be cost-effective and feasible. Through the study we will be educating participants on the importance of screening. If relatives are found to have glaucoma this can be treated to reduce the risk of future vision loss while glaucoma suspects can be monitored.
We will also collect blood samples from African-Caribbean glaucoma patients and their relatives for research into the genetics of glaucoma that may in the future identify pathways leading to new treatments or markers that predict an individual’s risk of glaucoma. We are beginning to identify genetic variants that cause susceptibility to glaucoma, but the studies to date have been limited to European and Asian populations. Populations of African ancestry will be more powerful for this purpose because of their higher prevalence of glaucoma and their older population history than other ethnic or racial groups. The lack of genetic research on these populations is a glaring gap in our knowledge.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/1215
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion