Levels of Aqueous Humor Trace Elements in Patients with Non-Exsudative Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Case-control Study

Jünemann A, Stopa P, Michalke B, Chaudhri A, Reulbach U, Huchzermeyer C, Schlötzer-Schrehardt U, Kruse F, Zrenner E, Rejdak R (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Book Volume: 8

Pages Range: e56734

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056734

Abstract

Trace elements might play a role in the complex multifactorial pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The aim of this study was to measure alterations of trace elements levels in aqueous humor of patients with non-exsudative (dry) AMD.For this pilot study, aqueous humor samples were collected from patients undergoing cataract surgery. 12 patients with dry AMD (age 77.9±6.62, female 8, male 4) and 11 patients without AMD (age 66.6±16.7, female 7, male 4) were included. Aqueous levels of cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc were measured by use of Flow-Injection-Inductively-Coupled-Plasma-Mass-Spectrometry (FI-ICP-MS), quality controlled with certified standards.PATIENTS WITH AMD HAD SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER AQUEOUS HUMOR LEVELS OF CADMIUM (MEDIAN: 0.70 µmol/L, IQR: 0.40-0.84 vs. 0.06 µmol/L; IQR: 0.01-.018; p = 0.002), cobalt (median: 3.1 µmol/L, IQR: 2.62-3.15 vs. 1.17 µmol/L; IQR: 0.95-1.27; p<0.001), iron (median: 311 µmol/L, IQR: 289-329 vs. 129 µmol/L; IQR: 111-145; p<0.001) and zinc (median: 23.1 µmol/L, IQR: 12.9-32.6 vs. 5.1 µmol/L; IQR: 4.4-9.4; p = 0.020) when compared with patients without AMD. Copper levels were significantly reduced in patients with AMD (median: 16.2 µmol/L, IQR: 11.4-31.3 vs. 49.9 µmol/L; IQR: 32.0-.142.0; p = 0.022) when compared to those without. No significant differences were observed in aqueous humor levels of manganese and selenium between patients with and without AMD. After an adjustment for multiple testing, cadmium, cobalt, copper and iron remained a significant factor in GLM models (adjusted for age and gender of the patients) for AMD.Alterations of trace element levels support the hypothesis that cadmium, cobalt, iron, and copper are involved in the pathogenesis of AMD.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen Germany (DE) Trinity College Dublin Ireland (IE) Medical University of Lublin / Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie Poland (PL) Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (HMGU) / Helmholtz Munich Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Jünemann, A., Stopa, P., Michalke, B., Chaudhri, A., Reulbach, U., Huchzermeyer, C.,... Rejdak, R. (2013). Levels of Aqueous Humor Trace Elements in Patients with Non-Exsudative Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Case-control Study. PLoS ONE, 8(2), e56734. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0056734

MLA:

Jünemann, Anselm, et al. "Levels of Aqueous Humor Trace Elements in Patients with Non-Exsudative Age-related Macular Degeneration: A Case-control Study." PLoS ONE 8.2 (2013): e56734.

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