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Patients with certain genetic variants are at greater risk for AMD progression
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MIAMI — Age, phenotype characteristics and genetic variants can put patients at greater risk for progression of age-related macular degeneration.
“We want to develop drugs, and our future studies should be very concentrated on the transition from intermediate into late AMD and to find biomarkers,” Carel B. Hoyng, MD, said at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017.
Using the EUGENDA database, 254 patients with early or intermediate AMD and 5-year follow-up data were identified. Of these patients, 54 progressed to late-stage AMD at 5 years, for a progression rate of more than 20%, Hoyng said.
Patients who were older at baseline, those with CFH Y402H gene variants and those with certain phenotype characteristics, such as hyperreflective foci, central drusen location and drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment, were found to be at higher risk of progression to late-stage AMD, he said.
Data in the study did not show a relationship between progression to late-stage AMD and the ARMS2 gene, Hoyng noted. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
Hoyng CB. Genetic variants and AMD progression. Presented at: Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2017; Feb. 11, 2017; Miami.
Disclosure: Hoyng reports he is a member of the advisory board or panel for Novartis and Bayer; is a consultant for Sanofi; and received grants/research support from Bayer and Sanofi.