Association between age related macular degeneration and serum low density lipoprotein subgroups

Introduction: Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in the western countries. It shares common risk factors with atherosclerosis such as elevated total and LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can be seperated up to 7 subfractions using electrophoresis. Predominance of small dense LDL subfraction is called type B patern or bad cholesterol phenotype. Our study aimed to investigate if this patern is seen in AMD, as it is an important component in atherosclerosis pathology. Methods: Eightyfour patients diagnosed with AMD and healthy controls in TC İstanbul Bilim University Department of Ophthalmology. Patients over age 50 who does not smoke, use medication and have a systemic disease and who have diagnosed with bilateral dry, wet AMD and controls were included. Total and LDL cholesterol were analysed and LDL subfraction analysis were made using Lipoprint System (Quantimetrics Corp. Redondo Beach, CA, USA). Results: Dry AMD group included 26, wet AMD group 37 and control group included 21 patients. Sixtyseven percent were female and 33% were male. The mean age was 72,1±9,6. Groups were consistent in age and gender distribution. Mean total cholesterol was 223,5±52,3mg/dl, mean LDL cholesterol was 138,6±43,6 mg/dl. Groups did not differ statistically in total, LDL cholesterol levels. Type A patern was seen in 84,6% and type B patern was seen in 15,4% among participants. The LDL subfraction paterns did not differ statistically among groups. Discussion: Type B patern LDL cholesterol subfraction is seen in 25% in population. In our patients its percentage was 14,3%. Our participants had type B patern percentages consistent with literature. We found that LDL profile did not differ between normal population and AMD patients. We think the broad etiopathological and risk factors spectrum of AMD and the insufficient number of our participants may have affected our results. For this reason we think that our results need to be investigated further with studies having more participants, randomised, comperative prospective studies.