Hereditary Thrombophilic Factors in Glaucoma.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the hereditary thrombophilic factors in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, exfoliative glaucoma, and exfoliation syndrome and to compare their results with those of healthy control subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 75 patients [25 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (group I), 25 patients with exfoliative glaucoma (group II), and 25 patients with exfoliation syndrome (group III)] and 25 healthy control subjects (group IV). Well-known hereditary thrombophilic factors including methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T mutation, prothrombin G20210A mutation, factor V Leiden mutation, activated protein C resistance, protein S, protein C, and antithrombin III activities, and homocysteine levels were measured in venous blood samples of all subjects.

RESULTS

Fifty-one males and 49 females were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 67.8 ± 8.7 years (range, 46 to 87 y). There was no statistically significant difference with regard to the mean age (P=0.057) and distribution of sex (P=0.391) between the study groups. The difference of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, antithrombin III activity, protein C activity, free protein S activity, and activated protein C resistance were not statistically significant; and the number of subjects with MTHFR C677T, prothrombin G20210A, and factor V Leiden mutations were similar between the study groups.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that there is no significant difference between the prothrombotic inherited risk factors of glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous subjects.