ObjectiveTo study the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in an adult population. MethodsTwenty patients with mild cataract and 39 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study, including 15 males and 44 females. The average age was 43.75 years. Fifty-three subjects were non-smokers and 6 male subjects were smokers. Two subjects preferred meat diet, 22 preferred meat-less diet, and 35 have balanced diet. MPOD was measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.75 degrees, and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The relationship between MPOD and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin was analyzed. The differences of serum lutein and zeaxanthin between different gender, smokers and non-smokers and subjects with different dietary pattern were also analyzed. ResultsMPOD at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.75 degrees were 0.59, 0.48, 0.34 and 0.18, and the average concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin were (0.45±0.16) μmol/L and (0.11±0.04) μmol/L respectively. Serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in males were slightly higher than that in females, but it was not statistically significant (t=1.13, 0.86; P=0.27, 0.40). The differences of serum lutien and zeaxanthin between smokers and non-smokers (t=-0.15, -0.11; P=0.87, 0.91), among subjects of 3 dietary patterns groups were not statistically significant (Flutein=3.87, 4.05, 0.18; P=0.83, 0.81, 0.99. Fzeaxanthin＝0.99, 1.51, 0.52; P＝0.85, 0.68, 0.72). There was no correlation between MPOD and serum concentration of lutein (r=-0.06,-0.02,-0.07,0.03;P>0.05)and zeaxanthin(r=0.02,0.12,0.09,0.11;P>0.05). ConclusionMPOD was not statistically significantly correlated with serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in the studied population.
Objective To determine the association of -429T/C and G1704T polymorphisms in the receptor for advanced glycation end products gene with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Methods Case-control study. From the Beijing Desheng Diabetic Eye Study cohort of 1467 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM),atotal of 97 patients with PDR and 105 diabetic patients without retinopathy (DWR, duration of diabetes 15 years) were included for this study. Questionnaires were collected and general ophthalmologic examinations were performed. Biochemical analysis was conducted. DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood. The -429T/C and G1704T single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected by the means of PCR-restrication fragment length polymorphisms. Results The frequency distribution of -429T/C in DWR group was 81.0% in TT, 16.1% in TC, 2.9% in CC. The frequency distribution of -429T/C in PDR group was 77.3% in TT, 20.6% in TC, 2.1% in CC. There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups (χ2=0.40, P > 0.05). Frequency of the -429T/C minor alleleCin the DWR and PDR group were 11.0% and 12.4%, respectively, with no significant statistical difference between the two groups (χ2=0.20，P > 0.05). The frequency distribution of G1704T in DWR group was 66.7% in GG, 29.5% in GT, 3.8% in TT. The frequency distribution of G1704T in PDR group was 78.4% in GG, 21.6% in GT. There was no significant statistical difference between the two groups (χ2=3.44, P > 0.05). Frequency of the G1704T minor alleleTin the DWR and PDR group were 18.6% and 10.8%, respectively, in which significant difference was found within the two groups (χ2=4.79, OR=1.88，95%CI: 1.06 - 3.33, P > 0.05). Conclusions G1704T polymorphism is associated with PDR presence and 1704G allele may increase the risk of PDR.