Metabolic abnormalities in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Abstract

Although there are few data on the underlying mechanisms of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), it has been suggested that metabolic diseases may play a role in the evolution of the disease. We carried out the present study to investigate the involvement of metabolic disturbances in POAG pathogenesis. Serum metabolic parameters were evaluated in 49 POAG patients without a known history of diabetes mellitus and 72 age and sex matched individuals without glaucoma (control group). Among the metabolic parameters examined, only fasting serum glucose and uric acid levels were found significantly higher in patients with glaucoma compared to the control population (117+/-17 mg/dl vs 105+/-11 mg/dl, p=0.05 and 6.2+/-1.9 mg/dl vs 5+/-1.2 mg/dl, p=0.006, respectively). Additionally, a considerably greater proportion of patients had disturbances of the carbohydrate metabolism and hyperuricemia. We conclude that disturbances of carbohydrate and uric acid metabolism could play a role in glaucoma damage and pathogenesis.