Plasma homocysteine levels in patients with normal tension glaucoma.

Purpose: To investigate whether there is an association of elevated plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG).

Patients And Methods: Plasma levels of Hcy (fluorescence polarization immunoassay), vitamin B6 (high-performance liquid chromatography), vitamin B12, and folate levels (immunoassay) were determined in 42 patients with NTG and in 42 age-matched and sex-matched controls.

Results: No significant difference regarding Hcy (NTG: 10.95 μmol/L±2.65; controls: 11.29 μmol/L±2.76) (P=0.639), vitamin B6 (NTG: 14.45 ng/mL±12.89; controls: 13.57 ng/mL±10.41) (P=0.629), vitamin B12 (NTG: 387.73 pg/mL±282.04; controls: 423.27 pg/mL±188.85) (P=0.052) and folate (NTG: 9.45ng/mL±3.42; controls: 10.82 ng/mL±4.48) (P=0.181) levels were found between both groups.

Conclusions: An association of elevated Hcy levels and NTG was not found and therefore a role of Hcy as a modifiable risk factor in the pathogenesis of NTG seems unlikely.