C-reactive protein level indicates AMD risk

People with high blood levels of C-reactive protein may be at higher risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a report published in October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

Sharmila S. Boekhoorn and colleagues from the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands collected blood samples and took photographs of the eyes of more than 4,900 people at risk from AMD and followed the group for an average of 7.7 years. During this period, 658 subjects were diagnosed with AMD; 561 with initial stage AMD and 97 with advanced AMD.

It was found that as a person's C-reactive protein level increased the person became more and more likely to develop AMD.

The researchers suggest that lowering C-reactive protein levels may help decrease the risk of developing AMD.