Frontiers in Medicine (May 2024)

Association of plasma lactoferrin levels with disease severity in glaucoma patients

  • Zuo Wang,
  • Zuo Wang,
  • Donghua Liu,
  • Hang Yuan,
  • An Li,
  • Jinxia Wang,
  • Xiong Zhu,
  • Wenbo Xiu,
  • Gao Zhang,
  • Yang Chen,
  • Lingling Chen,
  • Xiao Xiao,
  • Chong He,
  • Chong He,
  • Fang Lu,
  • Fang Lu,
  • Fang Lu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2024.1385358
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between plasma lactoferrin (Lf) and glaucoma, assessing the clinical utility of Lf in glaucoma.MethodsA cross-sectional study involved 161 glaucoma patients and 115 healthy controls, with a follow-up of 14 subjects after approximately 2 years. Plasma Lf markers were quantified using ELISA, comparing levels between glaucoma patients and healthy controls, and analyzing plasma Lf across different glaucoma severity grades.ResultsGlaucoma patients had significantly elevated plasma Lf levels compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). Higher plasma Lf levels correlated with more severe disease stages (HPA grades showed ρ = 0.435, p < 0.001; AGIS grades showed ρ = 0.436, p < 0.001) and reduced retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (RNFL thickness showed ρ = −0.204, p = 0.024). ROC curve analysis demonstrated the efficacy of glaucoma markers in differentiating early-stage from advanced glaucoma.ConclusionPlasma Lf levels are significantly associated with glaucoma severity and may be involved in the pathogenic progression of the disease.

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