Plasma antiphospholipid antibody levels in age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with plasma antiphospholipid antibody levels.


METHODS
This prospective study included 19 patients diagnosed as having dry-type AMD, 23 patients with exudative-type AMD, and 25 control subjects. Venous blood samples of the participants were obtained. Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) isotypes IgG and IgM were measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lupus anticoagulant (LA) antibodies were measured by the dilute Russell viper venom time screen test.


RESULTS
The mean aCL IgG concentration in patients with exudative-type AMD was significantly higher than in patients with dry-type AMD and control subjects. The mean ± SE of aCL IgG levels in patients with exudative-type AMD and dry-type AMD and control subjects was 5.46 ± 1.26; 2.55 ± 0.78; and 0.32 ± 0.1, respectively. The mean aCL IgM levels and LA levels in the 3 groups were not statistically different.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that elevated levels of serum aCL, a risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, may be associated with exudative-type AMD.
Department of Ophthalmology, Kocaeli University, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli, Turkey.
Berna
B
Özkan
Levent V
LV
Karabaş
Özgül
Ö
Altıntaş
Gülden Sönmez
GS
Tamer
Nurşen
N
Yüksel
Yusuf
Y
Çağlar
D000368:Aged; D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D057092:Geographic Atrophy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000276:immunology*
D017153:Antibodies, Anticardiolipin; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D016682:Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor