People who have elevated homocysteine in their blood, an amino acid that is a known biomarker for cardiovascular disease, may also be at an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study in the January issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
This research was conducted at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Devers Eye Institute in Portland, Ore.
In this largest study of the relationship of this amino acid and AMD, researchers measured the fasting plasma homocystein levels of 934 individuals who were participating in an ancillary study of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Five hundred and forty seven people with AMD and 387 control subjects were tested.
"We found that elevated homocysteine in the blood may be another biomarker for increased risk of AMD," said lead author Johanna M. Seddon, MD, director of epidemiology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Seddon is also an associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. "Homocysteine can be reduced by dietary intake of vitamins B6, B12, and folate, so the relationship between this amino acid and AMD deserves further study."