Mini abstracts

Knees and IOP Glucosamine sulphate is a naturally occurring part of human cartilage and commonly used as a supplement to relieve joint pain in knees. Glucosamine compounds also play a part in the trabecular meshwork regulation of the aqueous outflow of the eye. It is possible that excessive concentrations of glucosamine may be linked to glaucoma. A small retrospective study was conducted using intraocular pressure estimates during and after discontinuing supplementary treatment. There was a statistically significant mean difference of approximately 3.0 mmHg between IOPs, when subjects were taking the drug and following discontinuation. This study had only 17 subjects and the authors list several variables that were not taken into account, such as dosage levels and duration of treatment; however, the association merits further investigation and perhaps an increased level of suspicion of glaucoma in patients taking glucosamine.