Posters

Relationship between high serum ferritin level and glaucoma in the South Korean population

Poster Details

First Author: H.Gye SOUTH KOREA

Co Author(s):    S. Shim   J. Kim                 

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To investigate the association between serum ferritin level and glaucoma in the urban South Korean population.

Setting:

Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Screening Centers in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea

Methods:

The study design was retrospective and cross-sectional, and subjects were taken from the Health Screening Center of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Subjects who underwent health screening from August 2012 to July 2013 and were 20 years or older were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent questionnaires about sociodemographics and behavioral characteristics, laboratory examinations including serum ferritin level and physical examinations. A digital fundus photograph of both eyes was taken and all fundus photographs were reviewed by two ophthalmologists, a retina specialist and two glaucoma specialists. The glaucoma was defined by the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology.

Results:

Mean serum ferritin levels were 56.98ng/mL in women and 223.82ng/mL in men. After adjusting for age, serum iron, Total iron binding capacity(TIBC), transferrin saturation, WBC, high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP) and total vitamin D levels, the odds ratio for glaucoma increased in the highest quartile of serum ferritin (OR=1.176, 95% CI; 1.030–1.342, p=0.016) compared with the lowest quartile in men, but not in women. In case of serum WBC, the adjusted OR for glaucoma after adjusting for age in men was 1.236(95% CI, 0.999-1.530) in the highest quartile level compared with the lowest quartile level, however, it was borderline significant(p=0.051).

Conclusions:

High level of serum ferritin in men was associated with significantly high odds of glaucoma, but not in women. Considering the action of serum ferritin related to oxidative stress and inflammation, it may have a possible role associated with development of glaucoma.

Financial Disclosure:

NONE