정상인과 녹내장 환자의 혈청 인지질 지방산 농도

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide and is characterized by degeneration of the optic nerve. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major contributing factor to optic nerve damage. However, some patients develop glaucoma even with normal IOP. Other factors, including age, race, myopia, and nutrition, can affect glaucoma risk. Dietary fat intake and serum fatty acid composition are closely related with the fatty acid profile of the retina and thus can modulate glaucoma risk. In this study, we collected serum samples from 34 glaucoma patients (26 primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and 8 normal tension glaucoma (NTG)) and 45 healthy controls and analyzed their serum phospholipid fatty acid concentrations. The results show that the ratio of oleic acid to stearic acid (OA/SA), which is an indicator of stearoyl-CoA desaturase activity, was higher in POAG patients when compared to normal controls. The ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (EPA/AA), which is an indirect marker of eicosanoid biosynthesis, was also higher in glaucoma patients (p=0.048). These results imply that dietary fatty acid intake and serum fatty acid profile can influence glaucoma risk. Additional study is necessary to identify the relationship between fatty acids and glaucoma.