Association of CRP levels with ARMS2 and CFH variants in age-related macular degeneration

Int Ophthalmol. 2020 Oct;40(10):2735-2742. doi: 10.1007/s10792-020-01460-y. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate whether plasma high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level is associated with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well as variants of ARMS2 A69S and CFH I62V in patients with exudative AMD.

Methods: A case-control study was done comparing CRP among patients with exudative AMD including those with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, typical AMD and retinal angiomatous proliferation, and CRP were also compared between cases and controls. Plasma CRP was measured from peripheral blood using latex nepherometry for all participants. Genotyping of ARMS2 A69S and CFH I62V was performed for all patients with exudative AMD using TaqMan technology.

Results: Among 125 patients with exudative AMD, including 31 with typical neovascular AMD, 73 with PCV and 21 with RAP lesions and 150 controls, CRP levels were higher in exudative AMD than in controls. (P = 2.7 × 10-5) There was not a significant difference in hs-CRP levels among AMD subtypes. Neither variants of ARMS2 nor CFH was associated with hs-CRP level in patients with exudative AMD. A multiple regression analysis revealed that gender male, presence of exudative AMD and presence of cardiovascular diseases were associated with increased plasma hs-CRP.

Conclusions: Plasma hs-CRP was elevated independent of variants of ARMS2 A69S and CFH I62V in patients with exudative AMD.

Keywords: ARMS2 A69S; C-reactive protein; CFH I62V; Exudative age-related macular degeneration.

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors*
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Complement Factor H
  • Humans
  • Macular Degeneration
  • Male
  • Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Visual Acuity

Substances

  • ARMS2 protein, human
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • CFH protein, human
  • Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Complement Factor H
  • C-Reactive Protein