C-reactive protein levels in normal tension glaucoma

To determine C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG).

This study included 20 cases with NTG and 30 controls, with no history of ocular disease. Plasma CRP levels of all the study participants were determined using a highly sensitive CRP kit.

Twenty cases (11 males, 9 females, mean age 69 +/- 5 years) with NTG and 30 age-matched controls (15 males, 15 females, mean age 68 +/- 6) were evaluated. Both groups had similar demographic parameters (age, sex, BMI). Plasma CRP levels were significantly higher in the NTG cases than in controls (median [range], 3.20 [0.17-8.4] mg/dL compared with 0.5 [0.1-3.2], P < 0.001). The mean plasma CRP level was significantly elevated in the NTG cases compared with the controls (3.21 +/- 0.6 mg/dL and 0.85 +/- 0.17 mg/dL, respectively, P < 0 0.01).

Our findings suggest that higher CRP levels may be associated with NTG. It is possible that a vascular inflammatory process is involved in the etiology of this glaucoma.