[Age related macular degeneration and C-reactive protein]

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a systemic inflammatory marker associated with the cardiovascular risk profile. Some of the cardiovascular risk factors are linked with the development of age related macular degeneration (AMD), but the correlation between CRP and AMD is not yet well documented. Our current study is trying to emphasize the correlation between plasma CRP levels and the risk for AMD. In our study we used two groups of subjects homogenous by age and gender--group A formed of patients diagnosed with AMD and a group B with normal subjects to whom we measured the plasma levels of C-reactive protein using standard testing with high sensitivity. Our data suggests that there is a correlation between the elevated plasma levels of CPR and the stages of age related macular degeneration possibly implicating the inflammation in the etiopathogenic mechanism.