title: Hyperhomocystinemia in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of hyperhomocystinemia in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 30 patients with glaucoma and 30 age-matched controls with no history of ocular disease who were undergoing routine physical checkups. Plasma homocysteine levels of all the study participants were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography, and values exceeding 15 micromol/L were considered elevated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean plasma homocysteine level was 16.80 +/- 3.20 and 12.39 +/- 1.97 micromol/L in glaucoma patients and controls, respectively (P<0.0001). Fifteen glaucoma patients (50%) had hyperhomocystinemia compared with 3 controls (10%) (P=0.0015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperhomocystinemia may be associated with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, which may partially explain the increased risk of vascular diseases among patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Israel. lleibo@bezeqint.net
authors.forename: Igal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leibovitch
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.forename: Gabi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shemesh
authors.forename: Michaella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Ben-ami
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sela
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine