C-reactive Protein and Lipid Profiles in Normal Tension Glaucoma

Abstract

Purpose:: To compare C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and lipid profiles between normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and healthy controls.

Methods:: This study included 57 patients with NTG and 57 healthy control subjects. Each patient underwent Humphrey visual field examination and blood sampling for high-sensitive CRP (hsCRP) and lipid profile analysis. The patients were subsequently categorized into two groups based on their intraocular pressure (IOP) levels. Group A with IOP ≤ 14 mmHg consisted of 31 NTG subjects and 27 controls. Group B with IOP > 14 mmHg consisted of 26 NTG subjects and 30 controls. We compared hsCRP and lipid profiles between NTG patients and healthy controls in overall subjects and in each subgroups.

Results:: The overall NTG subjects showed significantly higher hsCRP values compared with healthy controls (P=0.005). Lipid profiles were not different between NTG subjects and controls. When the subjects were classified by IOP levels, NTG subjects had significantly higher hsCRP level than controls (P=0.001) for group A. In contrast, there was no difference in hsCRP level between NTG subjects and controls for group B (P=0.414). Lipid profiles were not different for both groups.

Conclusions:: These findings suggest that higher CRP levels may be associated with NTG, especially in relatively low IOP level, and that dyslipidemia may not be associated with NTG.

Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment