The Antioxidant Effect of Routine Vascular Therapy for Normal Tension Glaucoma Patients

October 24, 2012 updated by: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
To quantify oxidative stress in circulating leukocytes of normal tension glaucoma patients, prior to and one month after routine vascular therapy.

Study Overview

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

Detailed Description

There are two accepted medical modalities for glaucoma treatment. The first, is a local application of an intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering drug. The second, is the application of systemic drugs to improve vascular regulation. In the present study we would like to investigate whether this systemic form of treatment, in addition to improving blood flow, also reduces systemic oxidative stress.

Vascular dysregulation is one of the major risk factors for glaucoma, in particular for normal tension glaucoma (NTG). In glaucoma patients blood flow is, on average, reduced not only in the eye but also in various other organs of the body, for example in the fingers. Such a systemic dysregulation leads to disturbed autoregulation and thereby to an unstable oxygen supply in the eye.This, in turn, leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS are capable of damaging cells such as white blood cells; this damage, however, is reversible as nature has provided us with mechanisms to repair this damage. This reversible damage brought about by ROS, which is constantly being repaired in our body, is an indication for oxidative stress. Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

The indications for oxidative stress can be quantified in our laboratory by the method of comet assay also known as single cell gel electrophoresis.

Study Type

Observational

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

primary open-angle glaucoma patients

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For NTG patients:

  • A mean untreated intraocular pressure consistently equal to or below 21mmHg or median intraocular pressure equal to or below 20mmHg on diurnal testing (at least three measurements) with no single measurement greater than 24mmHg
  • Open drainage angles on gonioscopy
  • Typical optic disc damage with glaucomatous cupping and thinning of neuroretinal rim
  • Visual field defect congruent to glaucomatous disc alteration
  • No other pathological findings upon slit-lamp examination and indirect fundoscopy
  • Vasospastic propensity will be assumed if a clear history of frequent cold hands (answering yes to the questions:" Do you always have cold hands, even during the summer time?" and "Do other people tell you that you have cold hands?") is reported.

For healthy subjects:

  • An intraocular pressure < 20 mmHg
  • No history of ocular or systemic disease
  • No history of chronic or current systemic or topical medication, or of drug or alcohol abuse
  • Normal blood pressure (100-140/60-90mm Hg)
  • Best corrected visual acuity above 20/32 in both eyes
  • No pathological findings upon slit-lamp examination and indirect fundoscopy

Exclusion Criteria:

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Iridocorneal angle extremely narrow with complete or partial closure as determined by gonioscopy
  • Pigmentary dispersion or pseudoexfoliation
  • Evidence for any secondary cause for a glaucomatous optic neuropathy (trauma, steroids, uveitis)
  • History of chronic or recurrent severe inflammatory eye disease (eg. scleritis, uveitis) or clinically significant or progressive retinal disease (eg. diabetic retinopathy)
  • History of ocular trauma or intraocular surgery within the past 6 months
  • History of systemic infection or inflammation within the past 3 months
  • Need for any concomitant medications that may interfere with the evaluation of leukocytes (eg: steroids, immunosuppressives)
  • Patients with a significant history and /or active alcohol or drug abuse (significant is defined as that which may influence results of the study)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Study Director: Selim Orgül, MD, University Hospital Basel, Eye Clinic

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

June 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 24, 2007

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 24, 2007

First Posted (Estimate)

April 25, 2007

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

October 25, 2012

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 24, 2012

Last Verified

October 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 085-Mom-2007

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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