(PreserveMacForte.com) Elevated levels of proinflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP), predicted a heightened likelihood of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to studies cited in a MedPage Today report.
According to the article citing research published in JAMA Ophthalmology, information taken from five substantial studies demonstrated a link between high CRP and AMD. The article added that a comparison of patients with high and low CRP levels showed that the odds of getting AMD was 50% higher with patients that had high CRP levels.
Meanwhile, Debra A. Schaumberg, ScD, OD, from the Harvard School of Public Health, and co-authors said in the article that the findings could prove beneficial in identifying people who could face an elevated risk of being diagnosed with AMD. Such people could benefit from stricter focus on lifestyle changes, regular eye exams and “therapeutic protocols,” said said in the article.
According to the article, data coming from the Women’s Health Study provided preliminary proof of a link between high CRP and AMD. The authors, noted the article, expanded their research to include data from the Health Professional Follow-up Study, the Physicians’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study and the Women’s Antioxidant and Folic Acid Cardiovascular Study. According to the article, those two took part in the studies supplied blood samples and completed health surveys. As it turned out, there were 647 AMD cases among the participants in the five studies.
As it turns out, there are other things that can increase the odds of getting AMD. For instance, people are more likely to end up getting AMD if they are older than 65, are Caucasian, have a family history of AMD, are overweight, smoke cigarettes, have cardiovascular disease, eat too few fruits and vegetables, and have high cholesterol.
While MD generally only affects people who are older, the fact of the matter is that getting older need not necessarily mean being diagnosed with AMD. People who take their eye health seriously and go in for regular exams can potentially avoid AMD altogether. And, should they develop the disease despite their best efforts, they can slow down its progression if they eat right and live right, according to various reports.
Reference: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Ophthalmology/GeneralOphthalmology/37251