Elevated homocysteine levels in aqueous humor of patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma

PURPOSE: To determine total homocysteine levels in aqueous humor of pseudoexfoliation open-angle glaucoma patients. DESIGN: Case-control study. METHODS: Total homocysteine levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in aqueous humor and plasma of 29 patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma and 31 control patients with cataract. Patients with factors affecting homocysteine levels were excluded. RESULTS: We observed significantly elevated (twofold) homocysteine levels in the aqueous humor of the glaucoma patients (Z = -5.11, P < .0001). Additionally, the calculated ratio (plasma:aqueous humor) was significantly lower in these patients (Z = -3.57, P < .001), and aqueous homocysteine was significantly correlated with their respective elevated plasma levels (r = .42, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Because homocysteine induces vascular injury and alterations of extracellular matrix, high aqueous homocysteine may trigger the abnormal matrix accumulation characteristic. It may reflect the proposed impairment of the blood-aqueous barrier of pseudoexfoliation open-angle glaucoma and be involved in its pathogenesis. (C) 2004 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.