title: von Willebrand factor in iris vasculature of glaucoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous reports have indicated the role of endothelium disturbances, as expressed by von Willebrand factor (vWF) release, in pathophysiology of glaucoma. The objective of this study was to investigate the vWF expression in iris vasculature of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry of vWF expression was performed on cryostat sections of samples collected at the time of peripheral iridectomy and controls collected from dead donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven Caucasians age 66.6±3.7 with 5.8±3.7-year history of treated PAOG and 10 controls age 62.2±1.92 with no history of glaucoma. The percentage of patients who presented normal and up-regulation of vWF phenotype expression differed statistically between examined and control groups: 48% versus 100% (p=0.035, chi-square test with Yates' correction). Sex, age, glaucoma duration, and visual field quantitative indices had no impact on vWF expression. A significant correlation between mean pre-surgery intraocular pressure and vWF expression was found (Spearman r=0.42, p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the results, it may be suggested that vWF is actively involved in the pathophysiology of glaucoma.
authors: Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Rokicki
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Małgorzata
authors: M
authors: Żaba
authors: Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Mrukwa-Kominek
authors: Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Wyględowska-Promieńska
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Marlena
authors: M
authors: Brzozowa
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Edyta
authors: E
authors: Reichman-Warmusz
authors: Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland.
authors: Romuald
authors: R
authors: Wojnicz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007498:Iris / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014841:von Willebrand Factor