title: Ghrelin Levels in Patients With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was aimed to assess the levels of ghrelin in aqueous humor and plasma of human eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and to correlate their concentrations with the severity of glaucoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control, prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with POAG and 35 patients with senile nonpathologic cataract (control group) were enrolled in the study prospectively. Aqueous humor samples were obtained by paracentesis from patients with glaucoma and cataract who underwent elective surgery. Aqueous humor and corresponding plasma samples were analyzed for ghrelin concentrations by radioimmunoassay diagnostic kits assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ghrelin levels were significantly lower in aqueous humor of patients with POAG with respect to the comparative group of patients with cataract (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the levels of ghrelin in the plasma of patients with POAG and that of patients with cataract. A positive correlation was found between plasma/aqueous humor ghrelin concentration in patients with POAG versus the control group (P < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between the levels of ghrelin and the severity of visual field loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower levels of aqueous humor ghrelin may be associated with POAG and may be a consequence of glaucomatous damage.
authors.affiliation: From the *Mansoura Ophthalmic Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Daqahlia; †Ophthalmology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Banha University, Banha, Qalyubia; and ‡Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Daqahlia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Asaad A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.forename: Salah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mady
authors.forename: Tarek N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Abeer M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Khattab
authors.forename: Lamiaa F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Arafa