Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk for open-angle glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose To determine the frequency of exposure to Helicobacter pylori infection in glaucoma patients. Design Prospective case-control study. Participants Ninety-seven consecutive patients attending a glaucoma clinic. These included 38 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), 19 with normal pressure glaucoma (NPG), 16 with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXE), and 24 with ocular hypertension (OHT). Ninety-four age-matched participants without glaucoma served as a control population. Methods Serum was analyzed for the presence of H. pylori–specific immunoglobulin G antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Main outcome measures Serologic analysis for H. pylori. Results Seropositivity for H. pylori was higher in patients with glaucoma (26.0%) than in controls (20.2%), but this did not achieve statistical significance ( P = 0.46). A total of 26.3% of POAG patients, 26.3% of NPG patients, 25.0% of PXE patients, and 25.0% of OHT patients were seropositive. Conclusions This study suggests that exposure to H. pylori infection is not associated with open-angle glaucoma.