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№3' 2015
OPHTHALMOLOGYInternational Medical Journal, Vol. 21., Iss. 3, 2015, P. 59−62.
THE RESULTS OF APPLICATION OF L-ARGININE IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMA
Kharkiv National Medical University, Ukraine
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of L−arginine on the performance of nitric oxide and endothelin−1, as well as the progression of primary open−angle glaucoma (POAG). The study involved 162 patients (287 eyes) with primary open−angle glaucoma (POAG). The study group consisted of 82 patients (146 eyes) who received basic therapy along with L−arginine (patent of Ukraine UA 52177 U). the control group included 80 patients with POAG (141 eyes) who received standard therapy. Application of L−arginine in treatment of patients with POAG reduced the activity of inducible NO−synthase by 28.7 % and exerted a correcting influence upon the activity of endothelial NO−synthase. It was found that application of L−arginine in treatment of patients with POAG enhanced the concentration of S−nitrosothiols by 65.0 % and reduced the content of endothelin−1 by 19.6 %. Furthermore, it was shown that the use of L−arginine in the treatment of patients with POAG significantly reduced the incidence of progression of glaucoma (by the visual field changes) by more than 30 %. It is concluded that the use of L−arginine in treatment of patients with POAG reduces the inducible NO−synthase level, has a corrective influence on endothelial NO−synthase, increases the concentration of S−nitrosothiols and reduces the level of endothelin−1. It is also shown that the application of L−arginine in the treatment of patients with POAG helps to reduce the frequency of glaucoma progression. The findings are promising in terms of studying the mechanisms of neuroprotective effect of L−arginine in the treatment of patients with primary open−angle glaucoma.
Key words: primary open−angle glaucoma, L−arginine, inducible and endothelial NO−synthase, S−nitrosothiols, endothelin−1.