Serum and Aqueous Humor Levels of Fetuin-A in Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate serum and aqueous humor levels of fetuin-A in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEXS) in comparison with those of age- and sex-matched healthy subjects.

Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 25 patients with PEXS and 25 control subjects who were undergoing cataract surgery without any systemic or ocular disease. Aqueous humor and serum fetuin-A levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.

Results: The mean age of the PEXS group (14 males, 11 females, n = 25) was 57.7 ± 6.9 years, and the control group (13 males, 12 females, n = 25) was 58.1 ± 5.7 years. There was no difference between the groups in terms of age (p = 0.77) and sex (p = 0.83).

The mean serum fetuin-A level of the PEXS group did not differ from that of the control group (p = 0.53). The mean aqueous humor level of the PEXS group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0.032). There were no significant correlations between aqueous humor and serum fetuin-A levels among patients with PEXS and control group (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Increased levels of fetuin-A in aqueous humor of patients with PEXS may show the local effect of fetuin-A on the anterior segment. With considering the wide range of possible biological functions of fetuin-A in the pathogenesis of PEXS, further studies are needed to clarify the clinical relevance of these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Aqueous humor
• fetuin-A
• pseudoexfoliation syndrome
• serum
• vascular disease

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Funding

This project was supported by the Ankara Office of the Turkish Ophthalmology Association.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by Ankara Office of the Turkish Ophthalmology Association.