Investigation of eNOS G894T Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between pseudoexfoliation syndrome (XFS) and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma (XFG) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) G894T polymorphism. METHODS: Seventy-eight eyes of 78 patients who had undergone uncomplicated cataract surgeries for senile cataract were included in this study. Forty patients with XFS were included in the study group, and 38 patients without XFS constituted the control group. Patients with XFS were divided into two subgroups according to their XFG development, and subgroup analysis was performed. Venous blood samples were taken from all patients before surgery and 894 G>T (rs1799983) polymorphism on the eNOS gene was evaluated by RT-PCR. RESULTS: While the mean age in the control group was 65.97±10.64 years (23 males and 15 females), the mean age in the study group was 73.05±6.79 years (30 males and 10 females), (p<0.001). Regression analysis of the risks caused by the genotype and alleles between the control and study groups revealed that the homozygous alleles were more common in the study group, and heterozygous or mutant alleles have reduced the development of XFS approximately 2-folds. However, this was not statistically significant (p=0.11). Similarly, when subgroup analysis was performed, it was found that there was no significant relationship between XFG in patients with XFS and gene polymorphism. CONCLUSION: In this study, it was observed that there was no relationship between the G894T polymorphism in the eNOS gene and the development of XFS/XFG.