title: Relationship between high serum ferritin level and glaucoma in a South Korean population: the Kangbuk Samsung health study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between serum ferritin levels and glaucoma in a South Korean population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cross-sectional study included 164 029 subjects who underwent screening at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center between August 2012 and July 2013. All subjects underwent a physical examination, answered sociodemographic and behavioural questions, and provided samples for laboratory analyses. A digital fundus photograph of both eyes was taken, and all photographs were reviewed by ophthalmologists. The ophthalmologists determined if an eye had glaucoma based on criteria set forth by the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology and the appearance of the retinal nerve fibre layer and optic disc.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum ferritin level was 56.98 ng/mL in women and 223.82 ng/mL in men. After adjusting for age, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation, white blood cell (WBC) count, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP) and total vitamin D level, males in the highest quartile for serum ferritin level had a higher OR for glaucoma than males in the lowest quartile (OR=1.176, 95% CI 1.030 to 1.342, p=0.016); we did not observe this relationship among women. Other markers of iron metabolism, such as iron level, transferrin saturation and TIBC, and inflammation measures, including WBC, HsCRP and total vitamin D, were not associated with glaucoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High serum ferritin level was associated with a high risk of glaucoma in men, but not in women. Because serum ferritin is related to oxidative stress and inflammation, it might play a role in glaucoma development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gye
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Mo
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chungkwon
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seong Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yu Sam
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Chul
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Department of Medical Information, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Yeon
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Biochemistry; Glaucoma; Inflammation; Pathology