Abstract
Purpose: :
To determine a possible implication of complement receptor 1 in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration. The aim is to asses a difference in expression rates of this factor on AMD-patients and a healthy control group.
Methods: :
98 patients were included in this case-controlled study. Samples of fresh EDTA-blood from 50 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration in comparison to 48 gender-and age-matched healthy controls was stained and flowcytometry was chosen to measure fluorescence emissions. The association between exudative AMD and CD35 was tested by a chi(2) test.
Results: :
Our results show that Complement receptor 1 is much more expressed on AMD-patients (P < 0,05).
Conclusions: :
Our data showed a significant difference in the expression of complement receptor 1 level between patients with exudative AMD and the healthy controls. These findings reinforce the conclusion that the complement system has a key role in the process of age-related macular degeneration.
Clinical Trial: :
www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00533754
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • clinical laboratory testing • inflammation