Baseline prognostic factors predict rapid visual field deterioration in glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate baseline prognostic factors predicting rapid deterioration of the visual field in primary open-angle glaucoma patients. METHODS: Seven hundred sixty-seven eyes of 566 glaucoma patients from the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) and the clinical database from Jules Stein Eye Institute's Glaucoma Division were included. The rates of decay at each visual field test location were calculated with pointwise exponential regression analysis (PER), and the rates were separated into faster and slower components for each series. Subjects with a faster component decay rate (≥ 36%/y) were defined as rapid progressors. Sex, race, age, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, mean deviation (MD), number of medications, use of diabetic or hypertension medications, and vertical cup-to-disc ratio at baseline were entered in a multivariable prognostic logistic regression model. RESULTS: The average (± SD) MD was -8.02 (± 6.13), and the average age was 68.64 (± 11.71) years for the study group. Two hundred twenty-two eyes (28.9%) were identified as rapid progressors. The following baseline factors were predictors of faster deterioration: worse MD (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR]: 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-1.15), larger vertical cup-to-disc ratio (P = 0.001, OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.09-1.39), and older age (P = 0.02, OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.04-1.48). After excluding the variables related to glaucoma severity at baseline (baseline MD and baseline vertical cup-to-disc ratio), the likelihood of being a rapid progressor was 54% greater in African Americans than in Caucasians (P = 0.03, OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.06-2.27). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with more severe glaucomatous damage, as measured by both visual field or optic disc cupping and older age, are at highest risk for rapid worsening of the disease, as are African Americans compared to Caucasians. More aggressive treatment of such patients should be considered to prevent visual disability.

A major constituent of green tea, EGCG, inhibits the growth of a human cervical cancer cell line, CaSki cells, through apoptosis, G(1) arrest, and regulation of gene expression.

A constituent of green tea, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been known to possess antiproliferative properties. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of EGCG in human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 associated cervical cancer cell line, CaSki cells. The growth inhibitory mechanism(s) and regulation of gene expression by EGCG were also evaluated. EGCG showed growth inhibitory effects in CaSki cells in a dose-dependent fashion, with an inhibitory dose (ID)(50) of approximately 35 microM. When CaSki cells were further tested for EGCG-induced apoptosis, apoptotic cells were significantly observed after 24 h at 100 microM EGCG. In contrast, an insignificant induction of apoptotic cells was observed at 35 microM EGCG. However, cell cycles at the G1 phase were arrested at 35 microM EGCG, suggesting that cell cycle arrests might precede apoptosis. When CaSki cells were tested for their gene expression using 384 cDNA microarray, an alteration in the gene expression was observed by EGCG treatment. EGCG downregulated the expression of 16 genes over time more than twofold. In contrast, EGCG upregulated the expression of four genes more than twofold, suggesting a possible gene regulatory role of EGCG. This data supports that EGCG can inhibit cervical cancer cell growth through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest as well as regulation of gene expression in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo antitumor effects of EGCG were also observed. Thus, EGCG likely provides an additional option for a new and potential drug approach for cervical cancer patients.