Reduced plasma oxytocin levels in patients with open-angle glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroendocrinology

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
• Oxytocin, a hormone with diverse physiological roles, has not been extensively studied in the context of glaucoma pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between plasma oxytocin levels and glaucoma.
• To compare oxytocin concentrations in glaucoma patients versus healthy controls.
• To examine the correlation between oxytocin levels and clinical parameters of glaucoma severity and progression.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study involving 181 glaucoma patients and 44 controls.
• Plasma oxytocin concentrations were measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).
• Statistical analyses correlated oxytocin levels with visual field parameters (Mean Deviation, Total Deviation) and their slopes over time.

Main Results:

• Glaucoma patients exhibited significantly lower plasma oxytocin levels than controls (p=0.002).
• Oxytocin levels correlated significantly with glaucoma severity (Mean Deviation and inferior Total Deviation).
• A trend towards negative correlation was observed between oxytocin levels and the rate of visual field defect progression (MD slope and central TD slope).

Conclusions:

• Reduced plasma oxytocin is linked to glaucoma.
• Oxytocin levels correlate with the severity and progression of visual field loss in glaucoma.
• Plasma oxytocin measurement may offer a novel approach for glaucoma management and research.