Increased aqueous humor basic fibroblast growth factor and hyaluronan levels in relation to the exfoliation syndrome and exfoliative glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To quantify the concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and hyaluronan (HA) in the aqueous humor of patients with the exfoliation syndrome (XFS) or exfoliative glaucoma (XFG). METHODS: Aqueous humor bFGF and HA levels were measured in 13 patients with XFS and in 7 patients with XFG. The results were compared with those obtained from 17 healthy controls. RESULTS: Mean bFGF levels were significantly higher in the XFG patients than those in the XFS patients, which in turn were higher than the bFGF levels in the healthy individuals. Aqueous humor HA levels in both patients with the XFS and the XFG were significantly higher compared to the controls. CONCLUSION: We suggest that bFGF plays an important role in the pathogenesis of XFS and XFG, as well as in the synthesis of secreted HA, which may result in connective tissue degradation that affects the ocular anterior segment.