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Lead accumulation as possible risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma.
Kenya Yuki1, Murat Dogru, Yutaka Imamura
1Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. glaucoma.keio@gmail.com
Biological Trace Element Research
|April 25, 2009
Summary
Elevated hair lead levels, indicating total body lead burden, were linked to primary open-angle glaucoma in women. This suggests lead accumulation may be an unrecognized risk factor for this eye condition, particularly in low-tension glaucoma cases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Environmental Health
- Toxicology
Background:
- Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- The role of environmental toxins, such as heavy metals, in glaucoma pathogenesis is increasingly recognized.
- Lead exposure is a potential, yet understudied, environmental risk factor for glaucoma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between hair lead concentrations and POAG.
- To determine if lead accumulation is a risk factor for POAG, particularly in subgroups based on intraocular pressure.
- To explore lead accumulation as a potential cause of non-pressure-dependent glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
Main Methods:
- Hair lead concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
- A case-control study compared hair lead levels in 98 Japanese patients with POAG and 245 healthy controls.
- Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U test and one-factor analysis of variance for subgroup comparisons.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher hair lead concentrations were found in female POAG patients compared to female controls (P=0.03).
- Female patients with low-tension glaucoma exhibited significantly higher lead accumulation than controls (P=0.02).
- Higher hair lead levels were associated with POAG in females, especially those with low-tension glaucoma.
Conclusions:
- Hair lead concentration, reflecting total body lead burden, is associated with POAG in females.
- Lead accumulation may represent an unrecognized risk factor for non-pressure-dependent glaucomatous optic neuropathy.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms linking lead exposure to glaucoma development.
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