title: Histological presence of Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the trabeculum and iris of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of Helicobacter pylori in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) pathophysiology by detecting its presence in eye biopsies of POAG patients during trabeculectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one consecutive patients who underwent trabeculectomy for POAG not responsive to antiglaucoma therapy, and 35 consecutive anemic controls were examined for H. pylori presence mainly by gastric mucosa histology. In POAG patients, eye biopsies were also obtained and stained for H. pylori presence in situ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-three of 51 (84.3%) POAG patients and 17 of 35 (48.6%) controls were tested H. pylori positive (p = 0.0004). In 5 H. pylori-positive POAG patients, H. pylori bacteria were identified in the trabeculum and iris specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, H. pylori bacteria have been detected histologically in eye biopsies of POAG patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Second Medical Clinic, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zavos
authors.forename: Jannis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kountouras
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakkias
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Venizelos
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deretzi
authors.forename: Stergios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arapoglou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D048588:Benzoxazines; D001706:Biopsy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010078:Oxazines; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D048588:Benzoxazines; D004396:Coloring Agents; D010078:Oxazines; C028911:cresyl violet