ASSOCIATION OF PLASMA MALONDIALDEHYDE WITH ARMS2 GENETIC VARIANTS AND PHENOTYPES IN POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY AND AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose: To evaluate the relationships between plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) level and ARMS2 variants and phenotypes in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods: This study is a retrospective case-control study. Plasma MDA was measured in 84 controls, 62 patients with PCV, and 42 patients with nAMD. Participants were genotyped for ARMS2 polymorphism. Phenotypes including bilaterality and greatest linear dimension based on fluorescein angiography (FA-GLD) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA-GLD), were evaluated. Results: Plasma MDA in the PCV and nAMD groups was higher than in the control group (P < 0.001, respectively). For ARMS2 variants, plasma MDA of homozygous high-risk genotype (TT) was higher than that of homozygous low-risk genotype (GG) in all groups (P < 0.001, respectively). Plasma MDA was higher in homozygous high-risk genotype than in heterozygous genotype in the control, PCV, and nAMD groups (P = 0.021, 0.002, and 0.004, respectively). In the nAMD group, there was a correlation between plasma MDA and both FA-GLD (r = 0.418, P = 0.006) and ICGA-GLD (r = 0.329, P = 0.033). There was a difference in plasma MDA between patients with unilateral and bilateral lesions in both PCV and nAMD (P = 0.017 and 0.019, respectively). Conclusion: This study revealed significant relationships between the plasma MDA level and ARMS2 variants and phenotypes in PCV and nAMD.