An Archives of Ophthalmology paper provides details from an examination of almost 5,000 at-risk individuals.
High blood levels of C-reactive protein appear to be associated with an increased risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to Erasmus Medical Center researchers.
The Erasmus team examined C-reactive protein levels in 4,914 individuals at risk for AMD. At the initial examination, conducted between 1990 and 1993, blood samples were collected and photographs were taken of the retina. Three additional examinations were conducted over an average of 7.7 years.
During this time, 658 people were diagnosed with AMD, including 561 with early AMD and 97 with late AMD. The scientists found that as an individual’s C-reactive protein level increased above the median of the study population, he or she became more likely to develop AMD.
The report is published in the October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.
