Elevated levels of plasma tumor necrosis factor alpha in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma

Figures & data

Figure 1 Box plot showing distribution of TNF-α level in PEG cases and control group.

Abbreviations: TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; PEG, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

Table 1 Distribution of demographic, clinical characteristics and TNF-α concentration in PEG cases and controls

Variables	Cases (n=49)	Controls (n=88)	p-value
Age in years, mean (SD)	59.8 (6.6)	57.1 (12.1)	0.159a
Sex (M/F)	30/19	53/35	0.909b
Diabetes mellitus, n (%)	13 (26.5)	30 (34.00)	0.360b
Hypertension, n (%)	13 (36.5)	28 (31.8)	0.517b
Hypercholesterolemia, n (%)	1 (2.0)	3 (3.4)	0.648b
Coronary artery disease, n (%)	0 (0.0)	2 (3.4)	0.287b
Smoking, n (%)	1 (2.0)	4 (4.5)	0.129b
TNF-α in pg/mL, mean (SD)	5.54 (4.8)	0.93 (1.49)	0.000a
TNF-α in pg/mL, median (range)	5.19 (0–17.8)	0 (0–8)	0.000c

Notes:

a Independent sample t-test;

b Pearson’s chi-square test;

c Mann–Whitney U test.

Abbreviations: F, female; M, male; TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; PEG, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

Table 2 Dose effect of TNF-α level and the risk of PEG

TNF-α (pg/mL)	Cases (n=49) no (%)	Controls (n=88) no (%)	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval	p-value
By median
≤0.5	14 (28.5)	55 (62.5)	Reference	–	–
>0.5	35 (71.4)	33 (37.5)	4.16	1.95–8.86	0.00017
By quartilesa
0	14 (28.5)	51 (57.9)	Reference	–	–
0.1–3.8	5 (10.2)	33 (37.5)	0.5	0.18–1.67	0.31
>3.8	30 (61.2)	4 (4.5)	27.32	8.23–90.6	1.08e-10

Notes:

a First quartile (<25th percentile); interquartile (25th–75th percentile); third quartile (>75th percentile). Overall dose response was significant (χ²=57.07, df=2, p=0).

Abbreviations: TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; PEG, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

Table 3 Correlation between TNF-α level and other clinical variables

Variables	R	p-value
Age	−0.049	0.571
Intraocular pressure	−0.126	0.438
Cup-to-disc ratio	0.366	0.019
Number of anti-glaucoma medications	0.24	0.173

Note: R, Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Abbreviation: PEG, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

Table 4 Regression analysis to determine the effect of age, sex and TNF-α levels on PEG

Variables	Odds ratio	95% confidence interval	p-value
Age	1.045	0.996–1.096	0.069
Sexa	0.942	0.375–2.388	0.899
TNF-α	1.632	1.364–1.952	0.000

Note:

a Female as reference.

Abbreviations: TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha; PEG, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.