title: The effect of membrane differential filtration on the colloid osmotic pressure in patients with age-related macular degeneration: significance to visual function?
abstract: To investigate the effect of membrane differential filtration (MDF) on plasma colloid osmotic pressure (COP) and visual functions in age-related geographic macular degeneration (AMD). Ten consecutive patients with non-exudative AMD underwent one MDF cycle. Primary endpoint was COP. Secondary endpoints were visual acuity and the mean defect of visual field. The COP was markedly reduced after one MDF cycle by 23.9% (P = 0.001). Compared with the baseline examination, visual acuity and the mean defect of visual field improved significantly after MDF. A significant positive correlation was found between the improvement in visual field and the decrease in COP (Pearson's coefficient = 0.65; P = 0.04). Membrane differential filtration lowers plasma colloid osmotic pressure in patients with non-exudative AMD. Based on the observation that visual field and COP are correlated, one may hope for a means to improve decreased central retinal function in eyes with geographic AMD by modulation of COP plasma level.
authors.affiliation: Center of Ophthalmology, Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Köln, Köln, Germany. aia18@unikoeln.de
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lüke
authors.forename: Randolf A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Widder
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirchhof
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borberg
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006440:Hemofiltration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology