Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Glaucoma
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Glaucoma
The aim of the study is to determine if plasma matrix-metalloproteinase activity can predict
 glaucoma in patients with OSAS and if the level of plasma matrix-metalloproteinase activity
 will decrease after one month of nCPAP-treatment.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness world-wide. Chronic primary open-angle glaucoma is
 the most common form among Caucasian patients. The key feature of glaucoma is damage to the
 optic nerve head, which is not necessarily related to an increased intraocular pressure. The
 prevalence of glaucoma among the patients with sleep apnoea was 7,2%: normal-tension glaucoma
 2,9%, primary open-angle glaucoma 4,3%. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
 (OSAS) is around 4-10% for men and 2-4% for women. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)
 substrates include essentially all extracellular matrix components as well as a wide array of
 molecules involved in intracellular adhesion, cell-matrix interaction, and cell signalling.
 However, MMPs effects are not restricted to extracellular matrix degradation. The prevalence
 of increased MMP in patients with OSAS and its predicting value for an additional glaucoma
 are not known. Further, we do not know if treatment of OSAS with nasal continuous positive
 air pressure(nCPAP) can decrease the MMP activity. With this study, we want to determine the
 prevalence of MMP activity and the prevalence of glaucoma in patients with OSAS. Further, we
 want to investigate if a nCPAP treatment period of four weeks decreases the MMP activity.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  OSAS planned begin of a nCPAP treatment

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Current malignancy

 -  Oral steroids