title: Primary open-angle glaucoma patients have reduced levels of blood docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids.
abstract: The aetiology of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), which is the commonest cause of non-remediable blindness and visual impairment, is not well understood. Nevertheless, increased intraocular pressure, and vascular factors such as ocular blood flow deficits are thought to be risk factors. There is evidence of decreased optic nerve blood velocity and increased red blood cell aggregability in POAG. These factors are influenced by fatty acids. We have investigated if glaucoma patients have abnormal blood fatty acid composition. Patients with POAG (n=10) and their healthy siblings (n=8) were enrolled. Compared with their healthy siblings, the glaucoma patients had reduced eicosapentaenoic (EPA, P<0.01), and docosahexaenoic (DHA, P<0.05) fatty acids and total omega3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) (P<0.05) in red cell choline phosphoglycerides (CPG); decreased EPA (P<0.05) in ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (EPG); lower EPA (P<0.05) and total omega3 LCPUFA (P<0.05) in serine phosphoglycerides (SPG). Similarly, they had reduced EPA, DHA and total omega3 LCPUFA in plasma CPG (P<0.005) and triglycerides (P<0.05). These findings may be significant, since EPA and DHA could modulate impaired systemic microcirculation and ocular blood flow and optic neuropathy, which are the main physiological changes associated with glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition, London Metropolitan University, North Campus, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB, UK, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Hor016@londonmet.ac.uk
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Nwabueze
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Magulike
authors.forename: Kebreab
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghebremeskel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000737:chemistry; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000097:blood*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000737:chemistry; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000737:chemistry; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000737:chemistry; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol