title: [Association between human serum soluble CD40 ligand, blood lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage, and cataract and age-related macular degeneration].
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the association between the human soluble ligand CD40, blood leukocyte count, lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage in patients with cataract and age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was performed on 132 ophthalmologic patients. Group 1 consisted of 47 patients with cataract and age-related macular degeneration; Group 2, of 36 patients just with cataract; Group 3, of 49 patients with age-related macular degeneration. During the first visit, all the studied patients were ophthalmologically examined; their blood leucocyte count, lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage were assessed. Soluble CD40 ligand levels were measured in 17 Group 1 patients, 36 Group 2 patients, and 7 Group 3 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of neutrophils in Group 1 and Group 3 patients was greater than in Group 2 patients (56.06+/-8.39% vs. 51.08+/-11.73%; p=0.009), whereas the respective percentage of lymphocytes was smaller (31.87+/-7.29% vs. 35.72+/-9.29%; p=0.017). Serum levels of CD40 ligand in Group 1 and Group 3 patients were statistically significantly lower than in Group 2 patients (347.10+/-435.05 pg/mL vs. 1010.27+/- 653.88 pg/mL; p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in the percentage of neutrophils and decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes are associated with cataract and age-related macular degeneration, whereas an increase in the concentration of CD40 ligand is related to cataract only. No statistically significant association between the studied eye disorders and blood leukocyte count was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Eye Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania. r.zaliunas@takas.lt
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zaliūniene
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002386:Cataract / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D023201:CD40 Ligand