Exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and progression of age-related macular degeneration
Abstract
Recent studies have found an association between exposure to Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). To assess a potential risk of AMD progression posed by exposure to C. pneumoniae, the authors reexamined Australian residents in 2001-2002 who were aged 51-89 years with early AMD at baseline (1992-1995). Examination included macular photography and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine antibody titers to the elementary bodies from C. pneumoniae AR39. AMD progression was assessed quantitatively, using both coarse and fine progression steps following an international classification for AMD grading, and also qualitatively, by side-by-side comparison of baseline and follow-up macular photographs. Serologic data were available for 246 of 254 (97%) subjects. AMD progression was associated with a higher antibody titer. After adjustment for age, smoking, family history of AMD, history of cardiovascular diseases, and source study, the subjects in the upper tertiles of antibody titers were 2.1 (95% confidence interval: 0.92, 4.69), 2.6 (95% confidence interval: 1.24, 5.41), and 3.0 (95% confidence interval: 1.46, 6.37) times more at risk of progression than those in the lowest tertile, using three definitions of progression, respectively. The fact that seroreactivity to C. pneumoniae was independently associated with the risk of AMD progression suggests that C. pneumoniae infection may be an additional risk factor for AMD progression.
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AMD patients have increased serum anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies, and these antibodies are linked to increased risk of AMD progression.
“AMD patients have been found to possess increased serum anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies, and these antibodies have been linked to increased risk of AMD progression (Robman et al., 2005).”
From Molecular pathology of age-related macular degeneration (2009) · cites this paper as Robman et al., 2005
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Molecular pathology of age-related macular degeneration
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“pneumoniae antibodies, and these antibodies have been linked to increased risk of AMD progression (Robman et al., 2005).”
BackgroundInflammation, Complement Factor H, and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Robman, L., Mahdi, O., McCarty, C., Dimitrov, P., Tikellis, G., McNeil, J., Byrne, G., Taylor, H., & Guymer, R.
- Affiliations
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center (US)
- Marshfield Clinic (US)
- The Alfred Hospital (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Robman, Luba
- Venue
- American Journal of Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2005-06-01
- Volume
- 161
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1013-1019
- ISSN
- 0002-9262 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-6256
- OpenAlex
- W2134310989
- Cited by
- 77
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 8.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Medical Research Council
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI042790)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Retinal Diseases and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Ocular Diseases and Behçet’s Syndrome
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Ocular Infections and Treatments
- Keywords
- Chlamydia pneumoniae, age-related macular degeneration, AMD progression, elementary bodies, infection risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Antibodies, Bacterial, Chlamydiaceae Infections, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Female, Humans, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Disease Progression
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