title: Decreased total antioxidants in patients with primary open angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate total antioxidant status (TAS) in the plasma of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and to compare it to that of the control group. Additionally, we aim to investigate the association of various POAG clinical indices with TAS level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples were obtained from 139 POAG patients and 148 glaucoma-free controls of matching age, sex, and ethnicity. TAS in all samples was determined by spectrophotometric and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods.We studied the possible association of the TAS level with various clinical indices relevant to POAG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (±SD) total antioxidant (TAS) value was lower among patients: 0.47 (±0.32), than controls: 0.97 (±0.43) and this difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001). TAS concentration was not significantly associated neither with the level of intraocular pressure, nor with number of anti-glaucoma medications (p = 0.532 and 0.084 respectively). However, TAS level shows a trend towards reduction with increased severity of glaucoma presented in a reversed significant association with cup/disc ratio (p = 0.043).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide evidence that TAS decreases in the plasma of POAG patients and that it may play a role in POAG pathogenesis. Association of TAS level with increased cup-to-disc ratio highlights TAS potential role as a predictive-marker for POAG-severity.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. abuamero@gmail.com
authors: Khaled K
authors: KK
authors: Abu-Amero
authors: Altaf A
authors: AA
authors: Kondkar
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Mousa
authors: Essam A
authors: EA
authors: Osman
authors: Saleh A
authors: SA
authors: Al-Obeidan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers