title: Matrix γ-carboxyglutamate protein and Fetuin-A, in wet type age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), Fetuin-A and matrix γ-carboxyglutamate protein (MGP) as the main factors for vascular calcification and inflammation in serum of patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in comparison to healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 40 patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) having a mean age of 70.9±9.1y and a matched group of 49 apparently healthy control subjects. The ARMD was diagnosed using a slit-lamp with superfield lens, fundus photography and fluorescein angiography. Measurement of hsCRP was done by nephelometry method. Levels of Fetuin-A and MGP were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  hsCRP [0.45(0.07-2.63) mg/L vs 0.25(0.03-1.2) mg/L, P=0.02)] and Fetuin-A levels (50.27±5.04 vs 44.99±10.28 ng/mL, P=0.009) were higher in the patients than in the control groups. We could not find significant difference in MGP level between two groups (P=0.08). There was not a significant correlation between MGP with Fetuin-A and hsCRP among the patients (P=0.7, P=0.9 respectively). A significant negative correlation of hsCRP with Fetuin-A was observed in both case and control groups (P=0.004, r=-0.33 and P=0.001, r=-0.54, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although our study shows that serum hsCRP and Fetuin-A is increased in CNV patients as well as negatively correlated with both study groups, their direct role on pathogenesis of ARMD required future studies.
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Javadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbanihaghjo
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebadolah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baharivand
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sorkhabi
authors.affiliation: Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz 51664, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahoor
keywords: Fetuin-A; age-related macular degeneration; choroidal neovascularization; high sensitivity C-reactive protein; matrix γ-carboxyglutamate protein