title: Apoptosis in the iris and trabecular meshwork of medically treated and untreated primary open angle glaucoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the trabecular meshwork (TM) and iris apoptosis of treated and untreated primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight treatment-naive, newly diagnosed (group 1) and 11 medicaly treated (group 2) patients with POAG were included in the study. Each patient underwent a limbus-based trabeculectomy. The TM and peripheral iris specimens were dissected out and were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C until they were assayed. Apoptosis in each group was assesed by TUNEL method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean patient age was 60.6±5.8 years (53-68 years) vs 58.9±8.9 years (47-70 years) in group 1 and group 2 (P=0.859). The mean treatment time in group 2 was 22.2±7.3 months (12-34 months). Apoptotic indexes in TM and iris were significantly higher in POAG patients using medication (group 2) compared to treatment-naive POAG patients (group 1) (P=0.004, 0.015; respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long term administration of topical antiglaucoma medications causes additional toxic effects on TM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine Esra
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ipek Işik
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Gonul
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Gazi University Medical Faculty, Ankara 06500, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasanreisoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, World Eye Hospital, Ankara 06700, Turkey.
authors.forename: Merih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onol
keywords: apoptosis; glaucoma; trabecular meshwork