title: Is renal function associated with early age-related macular degeneration?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and chronic kidney disease both involve immune dysregulation and may share underlying pathophysiologic changes to systemic homeostasis. Hence, we aim to evaluate associations between impaired kidney function and early AMD, in a search for urinary biomarkers for AMD.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based, cross-sectional analysis of persons aged 45 to 84 years was conducted with renal function measured using serum creatinine and cystatin C levels and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated. Age-related macular degeneration status was ascertained from retinal photographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 5874 participants, 221 had early AMD. High serum cystatin C and low eGFR (≤60 ml/min/1.73 m) were not associated with early AMD in our multivariate analyses. Among normotensive persons, however, highest versus other deciles of cystatin C were associated with an increased prevalence of early AMD (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 3.23).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results could not confirm an association between kidney function and early AMD. The borderline association between cystatin C and early AMD in normotensive persons require further verification.
authors.affiliation: *MBBS, PhD †MD, MPH ‡PhD §MD, PhD Centre for Eye Research Australia, the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (EWC, RHG, JJW, TYW); Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin (RK, BEK); Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (MFC); Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Queensland, Australia (JJW); Departments of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, San Francisco VA Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, California (MGS); and Singapore Eye Research Institute, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore (TYW).
authors.forename: Elaine W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Robyn H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Guymer
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Mary Frances
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cotch
authors.forename: Jie Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Shlipak
authors.forename: Tien Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055316:Cystatin C / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055316:Cystatin C; D003404:Creatinine