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Plasma homocysteine, serum folic acid, serum vitamin B12, serum vitamin B6, MTHFR and risk of pseudoexfoliation glaucoma: a meta-analysis

  • Glaucoma
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Abstract

Background

The aim of this meta-analysis is to explore the relationship between plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels, serum folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 levels, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotype and risk of pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG).

Methods

A systematic search of EMBASE and PubMed of relevant articles was carried out for all published articles. Main outcome measures included the calculation of plasma tHcy levels, serum folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 levels mean difference and odds ratios (OR) of MTHFR C677T genotype between cases and controls.

Results

There were 14 studies for tHcy (485 cases and 456 controls), five studies for folic acid (188 cases and 189 controls), six studies for vitamin B12 (199 cases and 225 controls), three studies for vitamin B6 (128 cases and 130 controls) and eight studies for MTHFR (479 cases and 661 controls). Overall, the mean plasma tHcy levels in cases was 3.38 umol/l (95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.35–4.42) higher than in controls. Serum folic acids, but not vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 levels, was significantly lower in cases than in controls; the weighted mean differences with 95% CI were −1.50 umol/l (−2.53, −0.46), −36.29 umol/l (−81.27, 8.68) and −0.60 umol/l (−2.55, 1.35) respectively. There was no evidence of association between the MTHFR C677T genotype and PEXG (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.85, 1.93).

Conclusions

PEXG is associated with elevated plasma tHcy and low serum folic acid levels, but not serum vitamin B12, vitamin B6 levels, and MTHFR C677T genotype.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, No.6, Taoyuan Road, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China

    Fan Xu, Liang Zhang & Min Li

  2. Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China

    Fan Xu & Min Li

  3. Wuhan Medicine School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Liang Zhang

Authors
  1. Fan Xu
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  2. Liang Zhang
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  3. Min Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Min Li.

Additional information

The authors have no financial interest in any materials or equipment used in this study. The authors have full control of all primary data, and we agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review our data upon request.

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Xu, F., Zhang, L. & Li, M. Plasma homocysteine, serum folic acid, serum vitamin B12, serum vitamin B6, MTHFR and risk of pseudoexfoliation glaucoma: a meta-analysis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 250, 1067–1074 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1877-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1877-4

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