Credit score: Unsplash/CC0 Public Area
“Good” (HDL) ldl cholesterol, normally thought-about to be helpful for well being, could also be linked to a heightened danger of the intense eye situation, glaucoma—no less than among the many over 55s— counsel the outcomes of a giant observational examine, revealed on-line within the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
Paradoxically, “bad” (LDL) ldl cholesterol, normally thought to be dangerous to well being, could also be related to a decrease danger of glaucoma, a situation that damages the optic nerve, probably resulting in irreversible sight loss or whole blindness.
The findings problem obtained knowledge about what might assist and hinder eye well being, and counsel {that a} rethink could also be wanted of how sufferers with excessive blood fat and who’re vulnerable to glaucoma are handled, say the researchers.
Glaucoma is projected to have an effect on round 112 million folks by 2040. Threat components embody age, ethnicity, the build-up of stress inside the eye (IOP), and household historical past, clarify the researchers.
Abnormally excessive ranges of circulating fat (lipids) within the bloodstream have been linked to eye situations, reminiscent of macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Lately revealed analysis has additionally implied a hyperlink with glaucoma, however the findings have been inconsistent, and it isn’t clear which sort of lipid is likely to be most influential, they add.
To strengthen the proof base, the researchers drew on 400,229 contributors aged 40 to 69 within the UK Biobank Research. They’d all stuffed in a questionnaire, been interviewed, and had undergone an ordinary panel of blood checks, together with these to measure blood fat.
Their well being was tracked for a mean of 14 years, throughout which era 6,868 (practically 2%) of them developed glaucoma.
In contrast with contributors who did not develop glaucoma, those that did, tended to be older, and of non-white ethnicity. They’d larger HDL, however decrease LDL, ldl cholesterol and a better waist-to-hip ratio (indicative of central weight problems).
They have been additionally extra prone to be ex-smokers, and to be taking statins, and so they had a better prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and heart problems.
However evaluation of the blood check outcomes confirmed that larger ranges of excellent HDL ldl cholesterol have been related to a heightened danger of glaucoma, whereas larger ranges of dangerous LDL ldl cholesterol, whole ldl cholesterol, and triglycerides have been related to a decrease danger.
These with the best stage of HDL ldl cholesterol of their bloodstream have been 10% extra prone to develop glaucoma than these with the bottom stage, with each (normal deviation) enhance related to a 5% larger danger.
Equally, contributors with the best ranges of LDL ldl cholesterol and triglycerides have been 8% and 14%, respectively, much less prone to develop glaucoma than these with the bottom ranges.
And every (normal deviation) enhance in LDL ldl cholesterol, whole ldl cholesterol, and triglycerides lowered the dangers by 4%, 3%, and 4%, respectively.
However these noticed associations solely endured amongst these older than 55, with no important affiliation seen in these aged 40–55; the findings have been additionally influenced by intercourse and kind of glaucoma.
The researchers drew up a polygenic danger rating—a quantity that gives a personalised measure of genetic susceptibility to ailments by combining genetic danger info from throughout the genome.
This confirmed that every extra genetic danger was related to 5% larger odds of growing glaucoma. However there have been no important particular person associations between LDL ldl cholesterol, whole ldl cholesterol, or triglycerides and glaucoma.
That is an observational examine, and as such, no agency conclusions might be drawn about trigger and impact. And the researchers acknowledge varied limitations to their findings, together with that blood samples weren’t taken after fasting and solely at a single time level.
The findings may additionally not be relevant to different ethnic teams, as UK Biobank contributors are predominantly of European ancestry.
However they counsel, “These findings challenge existing paradigms about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol in relation to eye health. This could prompt a re-evaluation of lipid management strategies in patients at risk for glaucoma.”
And so they conclude, “HDL cholesterol has been regarded as the ‘good cholesterol’ for seven decades. However, this study demonstrates that high levels of [it] are not consistently associated with a favorable prognostic outcome. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms behind these associations.”
Extra info:
Associations between serum lipids and glaucoma: a cohort examine of 400 229 UK Biobank contributors, British Journal of Ophthalmology (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2024-326062
Offered by
British Medical Journal
Quotation:
‘Good’ ldl cholesterol could also be linked to heightened glaucoma danger amongst over 55s (2025, February 4)
retrieved 4 February 2025
from https://medicalxpress.com/information/2025-02-good-cholesterol-linked-heightened-glaucoma.html
This doc is topic to copyright. Aside from any honest dealing for the aim of personal examine or analysis, no
half could also be reproduced with out the written permission. The content material is offered for info functions solely.
