Increased plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with progressive open angle glaucoma.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1) between patients with primary open angle glaucoma with visual field progression despite normal or normalised intraocular pressure and patients with stabile visual fields in a retrospective study.


METHODS
The progressive group consisted of 16 primary open angle glaucoma patients and the group with stable visual field consisted of 15 patients. After a 30 minute rest in a supine position, venous blood was obtained for ET-1 dosing. Difference in the plasma level of ET-1 between two groups was compared by means of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), including age, sex, and mean arterial blood pressure as covariates.


RESULTS
ET-1 plasma levels were found to be significantly increased in patients with deteriorating (3.47 (SD 0.75) pg/ml) glaucoma when compared to those with stable (2.59 (SD 0.54) pg/ml) visual fields (p = 0.0007).


CONCLUSIONS
Glaucoma patients with visual field progression in spite of normal or normalised intraocular pressure have been found to have increased plasma endothelin-1 levels. It remains to be determined if this is a secondary phenomenon or whether it may have a role in the progression of glaucomatous damage.
Emre
M
M
University Eye Clinic Basel, Mittlere Strasse 91, PO Box, 4012 Basel, Switzerland.
Orgül
S
S
Haufschild
T
T
Shaw
S G
SG
Flammer
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology
D019332:Endothelin-1