Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment in the elderly, and several risk factors associated with this disease, such as smoking and hypertension, also are known risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, examination of emerging cardiovascular risk factors in the pathogenesis of ARMD may help develop novel treatment strategies for ARMD. The prokaryotic intracellular pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae is emerging as a novel risk factor in cardiovascular disease by a variety of epidemiological, pathology-based, animal model, cell biology, and human antibiotic treatment studies. This study examined if C. pneumoniae infection may be associated with ARMD. Methods: Sera from 28 patients with ARMD and 22 age-matched volunteers were collected and analyzed by ELISA for IgG antibody to whole chlamydial elementary bodies (EB), chlamydial heat shock proteins (cHsp60 and cHsp10) and their E. coli homologues (GroEL and GroES). Data were expressed as optical density (O.D.) values and analyzed by standard statistical methods. Results: Patients with ARMD had elevated anti-chlamydial EB titers compared with those without ARMD (p = 0.0465). Analysis of data by quintiles showed that 7/28 (25%) patients with ARMD and 0/22 patients (0%) without ARMD had O.D. values in the highest 4th and 5th quintiles. No statistical difference was detected between groups for anti-cHsp60, cHsp10, GroEL or GroES antibodies. Conclusion: C. pneumoniae infection may be associated with ARMD. If further studies support a role for C. pneumoniae in the pathogenesis of ARMD, then the pathogen may emerge as a novel, potentially treatable risk factor for this disease.
Keywords: 308 age-related macular degeneration • 437 inflammation • 328 bacterial disease