C-reactive Protein and Lipid Profiles in Korean Patients With Normal Tension Glaucoma

PURPOSE To compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels and lipid profiles between Korean normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and healthy controls. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 38 Korean patients with NTG and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. We excluded the patients with cardiovascular risk factors and other systemic diseases that might affect CRP levels and lipid profiles. Each patient underwent a Humphrey visual field examination and blood sampling for hsCRP and lipid profile analyses. Subsequently, the NTG patients were classified into two groups based on their untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) level: low NTG (LNTG) with IOP < or = 13 mmHg (13 subjects) and high NTG (HNTG) with relatively high IOP (>13 and < or = 21 mmHg, 25 subjects). The hsCRP levels and lipid profiles were compared between NTG patients and healthy controls, and between LNTG, HNTG, and healthy controls. RESULTS There were no significant differences in hsCRP and lipid profiles between either the NTG patients and healthy controls, or between the LNTG, HNTG, and controls (p>0.05) after exclusion of Korean patients with cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant association between hsCRP and visual field indices (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS High-sensitivity C-reactive protein-related vascular inflammatory conditions may not be directly associated with the development of NTG, regardless of the untreated IOP level.