title: Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies in aqueous humor and serum of subjects with primary open angle and pseudo-exfoliation glaucoma in a South Indian population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective, nonrandomized, comparative study was carried out to investigate levels of anti-Helicobacter pylori-specific IgG antibodies in the aqueous humor and serum of patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), exfoliation syndrome [pseudo-exfoliation glaucoma (PXFG)], and with normotensive cataract patients, who served as controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Aqueous humor was aspirated at the beginning of glaucoma surgery from 50 eyes of 50 patients with POAG, with PXFG and at the beginning of phacoemulsification cataract surgery from controls. Serum samples were obtained. Anti-H. pylori IgG concentration in the aqueous humor and serum was measured by means of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum analysis of anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies revealed statistically significant difference between POAG and PXFG (52.26+/-52.51 vs. 25.22+/-35.27, P=0.01). Also, the difference between POAG and controls was statistically significant (54.05+/-55.04 vs. 33.83+/-41.73, P=0.04). However, on comparing PXFG with the control group, the difference was statistically insignificant (P=0.12). The mean concentration of anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies in aqueous humor of patients in POAG and controls were not statistically different (3.93+/-5.14 vs. 2.65+/-2.87, respectively, P=0.73). The mean concentration of anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies in aqueous humor of patients in PXFG and controls were not statistically different (8.87+/-30.25 vs. 2.65+/-2.87, respectively, P=0.83). There was also no statistical difference of IgG levels between POAG and PXFG (3.93+/-5.14 vs. 8.87+/-30.25, respectively, P=0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The levels of anti-H. pylori IgG titers in sera of individuals with POAG were significantly higher compared with PXFG and control groups. We support the hypothesis of the role of anti-H. pylori antibodies in causative mechanism for POAG. We could not find a significant link between the anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies and the PXFG.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Department, Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology, Tamil Nadu, India. drnitina@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: Prajna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lalitha
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Krishna das
authors.forename: Jitendra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jethani
authors.forename: R Manju
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robin
authors.lastname: Karthik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002386:Cataract / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017889:Exfoliation Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis*; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G