Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between intraocular pressure and metabolic syndrome by comparing central corneal thicknesses.
Methods: One hundred sixty-two subjects were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, with 89 subjects in a metabolic syndrome group and 73 subjects in a control group. Ophthalmological examinations, including intraocular pressure and central corneal thickness measurements, were performed on each subject. Serum fasting glucose, triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were measured, and waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure of all patients were recorded.
Results: Participants with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher intraocular pressure than those without metabolic syndrome (p = 0.008), and there was no statistically significant difference between the central corneal thicknesses of the two groups (p = 0.553). Most of the metabolic syndrome components were associated with higher intraocular pressure (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: There is a relationship between metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure, but no association between metabolic syndrome and central corneal thicknesses. Intraocular pressure is affected by central corneal thicknesses, and intraocular pressure is used to correct according to the central corneal thicknesses measurement. To our knowledge, this is the first study that determines the positive relationship between metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure by comparing the central corneal thicknesses of the groups.
Beta-thalassemia minor is a common genetic blood disorder in Mediterranean countries such as Turkey. Additionally, depression is one of the most widespread mental disorders that affect people worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing with co-occurring medical conditions. The aim of this study was to determine whether the frequency of depression is elevated in subjects with beta-thalassemia minor. A total of 106 subjects were included in this study, of which 53 participants were diagnosed with beta-thalassemia minor. The other 53 participants were otherwise healthy. Hemoglobin electrophoresis and a complete blood count were performed in all subjects, and all participants were evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The HDRS scores of the subjects with beta-thalassemia minor were higher than those in the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). Additionally, the hemoglobin A2 levels were positively associated with the HDRS scores (p < 0.0001, r = 0.482). This study suggests a possible association between depression and beta-thalassemia minor, in which the risk of depression may be increased in subjects with this condition.
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