Association of serum uric acid levels with primary open-angle glaucoma: a 5-year case-control study

Acta Ophthalmol. 2019 May;97(3):e356-e363. doi: 10.1111/aos.13789. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Abstract

Purpose: It has been hypothesised that uric acid (UA) has a protective effect against oxidative damage in the central nervous system. Therefore, we investigated serum UA concentrations in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and explored the relationship between serum UA concentration and glaucoma severity.

Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional, case-control study was conducted in 163 POAG patients and 103 normal controls. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the medical data platform of the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. The POAG patients were categorised into mild [median deviation (MD) ≤ 6.00 dB], moderate (MD > 6 Db-≥12 dB) and severe (MD > 12 dB) subgroups, based on their visual field MD results.

Results: The level of serum UA in the POAG group (0.321 ± 0.084 mmol/l) was approximately 12.77% lower (p < 0.001) than that of the control group (0.362 ± 0.053 mmol/l). The UA/creatinine (Cr) ratio was approximately 14.99% lower (p < 0.001) in patients with POAG (4.47 ± 1.15), compared with the control group (5.14 ± 1.05). The mean level of UA was lowest in the severe POAG group, followed by the moderate POAG group, and the mild POAG group (p < 0.001). A similar trend was observed when UA levels were compared between the POAG and control groups in males. Multivariate regression analyses showed a significant negative correlation between UA and vertical cup-disc ratio (B = -0.320, p = 0.034), and UA and MD (B = -0.441, p = 0.031) in males.

Conclusion: Primary open-angle glaucoma patients have lower UA levels; however, a negative association between UA levels and disease severity was evident in male patients.

Keywords: oxidative stress; primary open-angle glaucoma; uric acid; uric acid/creatinine ratio.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • China / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / blood*
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / diagnosis
  • Glaucoma, Open-Angle / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Intraocular Pressure / physiology*
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Acoustic
  • Middle Aged
  • Optic Disk / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Time Factors
  • Uric Acid / blood*
  • Visual Fields / physiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Uric Acid