Abstract
Purpose:
To assess the effect of a magnesium-containing drug inclusion into the therapy complex of POAG.
Methods:
22 POAG patients aged 42 to 72 (61.1±2.5 yrs) received hypotensive therapy supplemented by Magnerot (Wörwag Pharma, Germany) daily for 6 weeks: 2 tbls. of Magnerot 3 times a day during the first week, then 1-2 tbls. 2-3 times a day. The control group consisted of 16 POAG patients (63.7±2.7 yrs), who received hypotensive therapy but no Magnerot. We assessed the functional structure of the eye before treatment, as well as 1, 2-3, and 5 months after it. In all patients, we measured corneal-compensated IOPcc, IOP equivalent to Goldmann (IOPG) and corneal hysteresis (CH) using ORA (Reichert), performed computer perimetry and retinal tomography of the optic nerve.
Results:
Our previous studies showed a decrease of the magnesium content in aqueous humor, anterior sclera and tear fluid of patients with various stages of POAG. A statistically significant drop in IOPG (by 3.3±0.4 mm Hg) and IOPcc (by 4.1±0.3 mm Hg) was revealed after the treatment with the magnesium- containing drug (p<0.05). Computer perimetry showed a significant increase of the total visual field (from 426.5±7.8 to 452.5±8.8 degrees, p<0.05), mainly in patients with moderate glaucoma.. The analysis of MD index showed a tendency to reduction in the total depression of sensitivity from an average of -5.8 dB to -3.9 dB (p>0.5). The main group showed almost twice as many cases with improved visual field as the control group. The results of confocal scanning retina tomography taken after therapy showed that the average thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer tends to grow in patients with the initial (from 0.25±0.02 mm to 0.27±0.01 mm) and moderate (0.19±0.03 mm to 0.21±0.02 mm) stages of glaucoma.
Conclusions:
The first results of Mg-containing drug administration showed its positive effect on IOP and functional condition of eyes with glaucoma. We have thus reasons to suggest that the drug has a stabilizing effect on the course of the glaucomatous process, but future study is needed.
Keywords: 568 intraocular pressure •
610 nerve fiber layer •
615 neuroprotection