Aqueous humor erythropoietin levels in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma

PURPOSE: To evaluate the levels of erythropoietin (EPO) in the aqueous humor in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and without glaucoma. METHODS: Levels of EPO were measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit in aqueous humor aspirates taken during anterior segment surgery from 45 patients, of whom 20 had POAG and 25 had senile cataract only. RESULTS: The mean aqueous humor EPO concentration in eyes with POAG (10.91+/-4.32 mU/mL) was significantly higher than that from eyes with cataract (8.24+/-1.77 mU/mL, P=0.008). There was no significant difference between the serum EPO concentrations of POAG (26.46+/-10.36 mU/mL) and the control group (24.50+/-7.59 mU/mL, P=0.468). There was no correlation (P=0.165) between the EPO aqueous humor concentration and the EPO serum concentration while there was no correlation between the EPO aqueous humor concentration and the EPO serum concentration in the control group (P=0.819). CONCLUSIONS: The aqueous humor EPO level is increased in eyes with POAG.