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Published on: August 6, 2021
Plasma homocysteine and cysteine levels in retinal vein occlusion
Antonio Pinna1, Ciriaco Carru, Angelo Zinellu
1Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. apinna@uniss.it
Insights
This study found no link between homocysteine levels and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). However, higher cysteine levels were observed in central RVO patients, suggesting a potential role in this condition.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Vascular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a significant cause of vision loss.
- The role of specific amino acids like homocysteine and cysteine in RVO pathogenesis is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare plasma homocysteine and cysteine levels in RVO patients versus healthy controls.
- To identify potential differences associated with central RVO (CRVO) and branch RVO (BRVO).
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 75 RVO patients and 72 healthy controls.
- Plasma homocysteine and cysteine levels measured using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF).
- Statistical analysis using Wilcoxon or Student's t-test to compare groups.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in plasma homocysteine levels between RVO patients and controls.
- No significant difference in overall plasma cysteine levels between RVO patients and controls.
- Significantly higher mean plasma cysteine levels were found in CRVO patients compared to controls (P = 0.034).
Conclusions:
- Plasma homocysteine is not associated with an increased risk of RVO.
- Elevated plasma cysteine (hypercysteinemia) may be implicated in the development of central RVO.
- Further research is warranted to explore the role of cysteine in retinal vascular disorders.
Purpose:
To determine plasma homocysteine and cysteine levels in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and in healthy subjects and to ascertain whether there are statistically significant differences between patients and control subjects.
Methods:
In this case-control study, the study group consisted of 75 consecutive patients with RVO: 33 had central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and 42 had branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Seventy-two apparently healthy age- and sex-matched subjects served as control subjects. Homocysteine and cysteine levels were measured with a new laser-induced fluorescence capillary electrophoresis (CE-LIF) METHOD: Wilcoxon or Student's t-test was used, when appropriate, to determine differences between groups.
Results:
There were no significant differences in median plasma homocysteine between patients with RVO and control subjects, nor were there any statistically significant differences when patients were categorized by type of vein occlusion (CRVO or BRVO). Similarly, there were no significant differences in mean plasma cysteine between patients with RVO and control subjects. However, when categorized by type of vein occlusion, mean plasma cysteine was significantly higher in CRVO patients than in control subjects (P = 0.034).
Conclusions:
This study failed to demonstrate an association between increased plasma homocysteine and RVO. Mean plasma cysteine was significantly higher in patients with CRVO, suggesting that hypercysteinemia may contribute to the pathogenesis of this retinal vascular disorder.
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