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The association of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) with an increased risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is investigated. C-reactive protein (CRP) may implicate the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Different institutional review boards (IRBs) interpret the federal laws governing research on children differently, according to a survey of the chairpersons of 188 IRBs. The laws state that no study on children should be approved if it does not benefit the child and would expose the child to more than a minor increase over minimal risk of injury. Unfortunately, the laws are vague in defining what constitutes a benefit or a risk.

Objective: To examine the association of dietary ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid and fish intake with incident neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and central geographic atrophy (CGA). Methods: Multicenter clinic-based prospective cohort study from a clinical trial including Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) participants with bilateral drusen at enrollment. Main outcome measures were incident neovascular AMD and CGA, ascertained from annual stereoscopic color fundus photographs (median follow-up, 6.3 years).We estimated nutrient and food intake from a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) at baseline, with intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), combined EPA and DHA, and fish as primary exposures. Results: After controlling for known covariates, we observed a reduced likelihood of progression from bilateral drusen to CGA among people who reported the highest levels of EPA (odds ratio [OR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.87) and EPADHA (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.23-0.90) consumption. Levels of DHA were associated with CGA in age-, sex-, and calorie-adjusted models (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.26-1.00); however, this statistical relationship did not persist in multivariable models. Conclusions: Dietary lipid intake is a modifiable factor that may influence the likelihood of developing sight-threatening forms of AMD. Our findings suggest that dietary ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid intake is associated with a decreased risk of progression from bilateral drusen to CGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the association of lipid intake with baseline severity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). Methods: Age-Related Eye Disease Study participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment (N = 4519) provided estimates of habitual nutrient intake through a selfadministered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into 4 AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with <15 small drusen). Results: Dietary total w-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake was inversely associated with neovascular (NV) AMD (oddsratio [Or], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.90), as was docosahexaenoic acid, a retinal w-3 LCPUFA (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36-0.80), comparing highest vs lowest quintile of intake, after adjustment for total energy intake and covariates. Higher fish consumption, both total and broiled/baked, was also inversely associated with NV AMD (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37-1.00 and OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.93, respectively). Dietary arachidonic acid was directly associated with NV AMD prevalence (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.04- 2.29). No statistically significant relationships existed for the other lipids or AMD groups. Conclusion: Higher intake of w-3 LCPUFAs and fish was associated with decreased likelihood of having NV AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor in reply to reader criticism of the authors' study on macular degeneration.

Objective: To characterize progression of geographic atrophy (GA) associated with age-related macular degeneration in AREDS as measured by digitized fundus photographs., Methods: Fundus photographs from 181 of 4757 AREDS participants with a GA area of at least 0.5 disc areas at baseline or from participants who developed bilateral GA during follow-up were scanned, digitized, and evaluated longitudinally. Geographic atrophy area was determined using planimetry. Rates of progression from noncentral to central GA and of vision loss following development of central GA included the entire AREDS cohort., Results: Median initial lesion size was 4.3 mm(2). Average change in digital area of GA from baseline was 2.03 mm(2) (standard error of the mean, 0.24 mm(2)) at 1 year, 3.78 mm(2) (0.24 mm(2)) at 2 years, 5.93 mm(2) (0.34 mm(2)) at 3 years, and 1.78 mm(2) (0.086 mm(2)) per year overall. Median time to developing central GA after any GA diagnosis was 2.5 years (95% confidence interval, 2.0-3.0). Average visual acuity decreased by 3.7 letters at first documentation of central GA, and by 22 letters at year 5., Conclusions: Growth of GA area can be reliably measured using standard fundus photographs that are digitized and subsequently graded at a reading center. Development of GA is associated with subsequent further growth of GA, development of central GA, and loss in central vision.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of dietary carotenoids, vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol, and vitamin C with prevalent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS)., Methods: Demographic, lifestyle, and medical characteristics were ascertained on 4519 AREDS participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into 4 AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with < 15 small drusen). Nutrient intake was estimated from a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at enrollment. Intake values were energy adjusted and classified by quintiles. The relationship between diet and AMD status was assessed using logistic regression analyses., Results: Dietary lutein/zeaxanthin intake was inversely associated with neovascular AMD (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.93), geographic atrophy (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.24-0.86), and large or extensive intermediate drusen (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.96), comparing the highest vs lowest quintiles of intake, after adjustment for total energy intake and nonnutrient-based covariates. Other nutrients were not independently related to AMD., Conclusion: Higher dietary intake of lutein/zeaxanthin was independently associated with decreased likelihood of having neovascular AMD, geographic atrophy, and large or extensive intermediate drusen.