Plasma homocysteine and total thiol content in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Purpose Exudative age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is one of the debilitating ocular complications, which results in permanent blindness. Elevated homocysteine (Hcys) levels have been associated in the development of several vascular diseases. Vascular and oxidative stress theories have been implicated for the development of choroidal neovascularization in exudative ARMD. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible role of plasma Hcys and thiol content (tSH) as a risk factor for the development of exudative ARMD. Method A total of 16 patients with exudative ARMD and 20 age-matched controls were recruited for the study. Plasma Hcys levels were analysed using Reverse Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Plasma glutathione (GSH) content was determined using o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) derivatization and subsequent detection by fluorimeter. Plasma tSH levels were determined by using thiol-specific reagent dithionitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) spectrophotometrically. Results Plasma Hcys levels in exudative ARMD were elevated three-fold (1875.0 lM) when compared to healthy controls (6.771.8 lM). There was a two-fold decrease in the GSH and tSH in exudative ARMD when compared with controls. Negative correlation was observed between diminished tSH and Hcys levels (r ¼ À0.4837, P ¼ 0.05). Similarly plasma Hcys levels negatively correlated with GSH content (r ¼ À0.6620, Po0.05). Conclusion Results from our present study revealed that there is an elevated Hcys level and diminished thiol pool content in exudative ARMD that are significant.

Homocysteine and Diabetic Retinopathy

“…Height was measured to within 0.1 cm using a wall-mounted stadiometer (Harpenden; Holtain Limited, Crymych, U.K.). BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters (2). A current smoker was defined as a subject who smoked at least seven cigarettes a week at the time of completing the questionnaire.…”

“…omocysteine has generated considerable interest in recent years as both a sensitive biomarker of folate deficiency and an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease (even within the normal range of homocysteine concentrations) (1) and has been linked to vasoocclusive diseases in the eye (2). The known determinants of higher fasting plasma homocysteine levels are older age, male sex, and certain genetic abnormalities, while the major risk factors for hyperhomocysteinemia (elevated plasma total homocysteine concentration) are impaired renal function and poor vitamin B status (particularly folate status but also vitamin B6 and B12 status).…”

Discovery of the connection among age-related macular degeneration, MTHFR C677T and PAI 1 4G/5G gene polymorphisms, and body mass index by means of Bayesian inference methods

“…Some studies have shown increased plasma homocysteine in patients with AMD [53]. Another study reported that there were no differences in the plasma homocysteine or folate concentrations in those with wet AMD compared to those with dry AMD [54].…”

Comparison of plasma homocysteine levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with normal subjects

“…6,7 Oküler hastalıklardan ise lens ektopisi, optik atrofi, retinal arter ve ven tıkanıklığı, yaşa bağlı maküla dejenerasyonu ve DR ile ilişkili olduğu bildirilmektedir. [8][9][10][11][12] Literatürde diabetik hastalarda plazma homosistein düzeylerinin değerlendirildiği çalışmalarda çelişkili sonuçlar bildirilmektedir, normal popülas-yondan yüksek, düşük veya benzer düzeyde göste-rildiği çalışmalar mevcuttur. [13][14][15] Çalışmamızın amacı, diabetik hastalarda plazma homosistein düzeyle-rini sağlıklı bireylerle karşılaştırmak ve retinopatinin şiddeti ile ilişkisini değerlendirmektir.…”