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Cardiovascular factors increase AMD risk, study finds
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NEW ORLEANS — Two biomarkers of cardiovascular disease, C-reactive protein and homocysteine, have been identified as risk factors for age-related macular degeneration, one surgeon speaking here said.
“C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels are significantly elevated in patients with AMD,” said Andrew K. Vine, MD. “The obvious question is, will reducing C-reactive protein and homocysteine in patients reduce their incidence of AMD?”
He told attendees at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting that statins have been associated with reducing these biomarkers of cardiovascular disease and may have the potential to reduce C-reactive protein and homocysteine levels. However, statins have produced “mixed outcomes” in previous studies, he said.
In Dr. Vine’s study, 156 patients with and without AMD were age-matched with similar profiles for cardiovascular disease and vitamin supplementation. Patients with AMD had a mean C-reactive protein level of 3.42 mg/L, compared with 2.30 mg/L in patients without AMD. Similarly, patients with AMD had a higher level of homocysteine, 11.72 µmol/L, compared with 8.88 µmol/L in patients without AMD (P < .0001). Men and patients older than 65 years had a higher incidence of increased homocysteine as well, Dr. Vine said.
Dr. Vine also noted a higher level of atherosclerosis and inflammation in the macula of patients with AMD. These additional risk factors “are likely involved” in disease pathogenesis. “It is imperative that we conduct further study to understand the poorly understood pathogenesis of this disease,” he said.