title: Evaluation of cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with age-related wet macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate levels of homocysteine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and nitric oxide (NO), as well as activity of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of homocysteine, ADMA, and NO and activity of eNOS in patients who were diagnosed with wet AMD by fundus fluorescein angiography (n=30) were compared to a control group with no retinal pathology (n=30).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of homocysteine and ADMA were found to be significantly higher in the wet AMD group than in the control group (P<0.001), whereas NO levels and eNOS activity were higher in the control group (P<0.001). In the wet AMD group, we detected a 2.64- and 0.33-fold increase in the levels of ADMA and homocysteine, respectively, and a 0.49- and 2.41-fold decrease in the eNOS activity and NO level, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated levels of homocysteine and ADMA were observed in patients with wet AMD. Increased ADMA may be responsible for the diminished eNOS activity found in these patients, which in turn contributes to the decrease in NO levels, which likely plays a role in the pathogenesis of AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sadullah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keles
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ates
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Baki
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kartal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hamit Hakan
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Alp
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Kafkas University, Kars, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekinci
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erdinc
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Erbaa Government Hospital, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ondas
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Eren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arpali
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kolan Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Igdır Government Hospital, Igdır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mevlut Sait
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Keles
keywords: age-related macular degeneration; asymmetric dimethylarginine; endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity; homocysteine; nitric oxide