title: Impact of visceral fat and pro-inflammatory factors on the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have indicated that the immune system is involved in the pathogenesis of the AMD. Increased visceral fat, in addition, has a pro-inflammatory effect on the organism by producing or influencing different kinds of inflammatory factors. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of body fat distribution in patients with age-related macula degeneration in comparison to a control group in the Austrian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case-control study, body weight and height, and body mass index (BMI) were measured for each subject in 54 patients with exudative AMD and compared to 46 gender- and age-matched healthy control subjects. Body composition and abdominal fat areas were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Data on age, gender distribution, smoking history and systemic diseases, respectively, were compared. The inflammatory markers CRP, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), leptin, amyloid A, amyloid beta and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assayed by ELISA (R&D).
  
  
  RESULTS
  DEXA revealed central-abdominal-to-total body fat ratio of 0.073 +/- 0.011 in AMD patients compared to 0.061 +/- 0.013 in the controls (p <0.001; d = 0.98). The calculation of BMI has provided a significant result (p =0.045). U-test results for Aß1-42, IL-6, SAA and CRP each were significant (p < 0.05), with higher values in AMD patients. Leptin, TNF-alpha and Aß1-40 showed no significant differences between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that abdominal fat distribution is significantly associated with age-related macular degeneration. Analysis of patients with exudative AMD revealed higher levels of CRP, amyloid ß1-42, IL-6 and amyloid alpha.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Lasersurgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Paulina
authors: P
authors: Haas
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Lasersurgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Katharina E
authors: KE
authors: Kubista
authors: Department of Laboratory Medicines, Social Medical Center East, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Krugluger
authors: Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Huber
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Retinology and Biomicroscopic Lasersurgery, Rudolf Foundation Clinic, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Binder
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001824:Body Constitution; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; C439524:TNF protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: AMD; body mass index; pro-inflammatory factors; visceral fat