Human cells may not be unlike electric batteries. They from time to time have small energy retailers or can’t hold vigor. Micro Present-day Stimulation Remedy provides your cells with all the “energy” it takes, similar in order to recharging a new battery. Studies in addition have shown this MCS Remedy increases microcirculatory circulation, increases ATP concentrations plus stimulates amino acidity and source of nourishment concentrations directly into cells.
Every located cell inside body has a power charge. It is theorized that a part of what creates macular degeneration is usually a loss with the energy source inside cell, or losing the electrical charge. As being a flashlight will not likely work without getting a charged battery pack, the photoreceptors inside retina will not likely function not having an energy source. MCS Remedy is shown to increase the energy source within your cell.
This Macular Degeneration Foundation identified in starting pre-clinical trials by groundbreaking ophthalmologists plus researchers this micro present-day stimulation therapy can boost visual acuity, sharpness plus color perception in 68 percentage of individuals with dry out macular weakening and 58 percent of those with your wet kind. Reports from Russia advocate similar benefits.
A review published by way of Dr. Merrell J. Allen plus Dr. Leland N. Michael eligible Nutritional By using supplements, Electrical Excitement and Age Related Macular Degeneration showed this 60 percentage of individuals showed much better in visible acuity following combining micro present-day stimulation therapy and natural supplementation.
Drs. Leeway Halloran plus August L. Viewer studied 25 individuals declared with generally untreatable vision diseases including macular weakening, retinitis pigmentosa, CMV-retinitis, plus diabetic retinopathy. The individuals were handled with combining micro present-day stimulation therapy and natural supplementation. Overall final results showed outstanding increase with visual job in visible acuity in many and plainly established your safety with the combination of MCS therapy and natural supplementation.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Sustained-release implants on track for retinal vascular disease treatment
by:Elias Reichel
KAANAPALI, Hawaii — Sustained-release corticosteroids will play a significant role in retinal vascular disease, but the current implants still need improvements, one presenter here said.
"It is important to realize [steroids] will have a continued role in our treatment of diseases. They may also serve for adjunctive [therapies] like stem cell treatments and [instances] where transplantation or immunoreactions may occur," Elias Reichel, MD, who discussed outcomes using Ozurdex (dexamethasone intravitreal implant, Allergan) and Iluvien (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant, Alimera), said at Retina 2011. "So, having a better delivery system for corticosteroids is very useful for many of the diseases we are seeing in our offices."
Challenges include needing to achieve and maintain clinically effective concentrations in the vitreous over time while maximizing efficacy and minimizing adverse effects, Dr. Reichel said.
As part of a 6-month study, the dexamethasone implant demonstrated 2- to 3-month peak efficacy, had a low incidence of IOP issues and conferred a cataract progression of approximately 5%. Additionally, 45% of the patients gained three lines of visual acuity, Dr. Reichel said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the device for all retinal venous obstructive disease.
The fluocinolone implant is now part of a 36-month study and has demonstrated efficacy to at least 30 months. Between 30% and 40% of patients gained at least three lines of visual acuity. However, the device has a moderately higher risk of IOP issues and a cataract progression rate of 50%, according to Dr. Reichel.
The device has received a complete response letter from the FDA.
"Current formulations that we have are good but can be better," Dr. Reichel said. "We really have to look at longer duration and this reduced risk trade-off."
* Disclosure: Dr. Reichel is a consultant to Alimera and Allergan.
KAANAPALI, Hawaii — Sustained-release corticosteroids will play a significant role in retinal vascular disease, but the current implants still need improvements, one presenter here said.
"It is important to realize [steroids] will have a continued role in our treatment of diseases. They may also serve for adjunctive [therapies] like stem cell treatments and [instances] where transplantation or immunoreactions may occur," Elias Reichel, MD, who discussed outcomes using Ozurdex (dexamethasone intravitreal implant, Allergan) and Iluvien (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant, Alimera), said at Retina 2011. "So, having a better delivery system for corticosteroids is very useful for many of the diseases we are seeing in our offices."
Challenges include needing to achieve and maintain clinically effective concentrations in the vitreous over time while maximizing efficacy and minimizing adverse effects, Dr. Reichel said.
As part of a 6-month study, the dexamethasone implant demonstrated 2- to 3-month peak efficacy, had a low incidence of IOP issues and conferred a cataract progression of approximately 5%. Additionally, 45% of the patients gained three lines of visual acuity, Dr. Reichel said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the device for all retinal venous obstructive disease.
The fluocinolone implant is now part of a 36-month study and has demonstrated efficacy to at least 30 months. Between 30% and 40% of patients gained at least three lines of visual acuity. However, the device has a moderately higher risk of IOP issues and a cataract progression rate of 50%, according to Dr. Reichel.
The device has received a complete response letter from the FDA.
"Current formulations that we have are good but can be better," Dr. Reichel said. "We really have to look at longer duration and this reduced risk trade-off."
* Disclosure: Dr. Reichel is a consultant to Alimera and Allergan.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Stem cell therapy for macular degeneration
By Jill U. Adams, Special to the Los Angeles Times
The FDA has approved a new study aimed at fighting dry age-related macular degeneration.
About 10 million Americans suffer some degree of vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, and that figure is expected to grow as more baby boomers become senior citizens. There is no cure for the disease, but last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave a green light to an unusual clinical trial that seeks to restore patients' sight by employing human embryonic stem cells.
None of the stem cells will be injected into patients; instead, they are grown into another kind of cell that will be delivered to the back of the eye, where the retina is damaged by the disease. The hope is that the cells will help repair the damaged retinal tissue.
The company behind the trial, Santa Monica-based Advanced Cell Technology Inc., developed the therapy to treat Stargardt's macular dystrophy, a rare childhood version of macular degeneration that affects about 1 in 10,000 kids. The FDA gave the company permission to test the therapy in Stargardt's patients in November. However, if they work, the cells would have a much bigger effect as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration.
Here's a closer look at the disease and the new therapy.
What is age-related macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among people who are 65 and older, says Dr. Jose Pulido, an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The dry version of the disease begins with tiny deposits of fat and protein — called drusen — that appear in the center of the retina, called the macula. As the deposits grow in number and size over the course of years, things begin to look blurry in the center of a person's field of vision. As the disease worsens, the blurriness may progress to a blind spot.
What causes it?
The main problem is that light-sensing cells in the macula, called photoreceptors, slowly break down. This is thought to be caused by the loss of another population of cells, called retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which support the photoreceptors in a number of ways.
Among other things, the RPE cells release growth factors important for photoreceptors to thrive. "The RPE are also the garbage trucks of the retina," removing toxic byproducts that the retina makes as it performs its light-sensing function, says Stephen Rose, chief research officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a fundraising organization based in Columbia, Md.
Dry age-related macular degeneration can also progress into wet age-related macular degeneration, in which blood vessels grow abnormally and leak fluid into the macula. It's a much more aggressive form of the disease, but it's also more treatable.
How can human embryonic stem cells help?
The stem cells are grown into healthy replacement RPE cells and injected into the retina, says Gary Rabin, Advanced Cell Technology's chief executive. The company hopes the lab-grown cells will replace the dying RPE cells and keep vision intact — or even restore it to some degree.
"We've had incredible success with this in animal studies," Rabin says. A study published in the journal Stem Cells found that the RPE cells restored eye function in sick mice and rats to "near-normal levels," and another study in Cloning and Stem Cells reported that the treatment improved vision in affected rats until it was 70% as good as that of healthy animals.
Of course, success in animal studies doesn't always translate to humans. In addition, the eyes of people in their 50s and 60s likely present "a very different milieu for the RPE cells to try to hook onto," Pulido says.
Rose adds that the treatment, if it works, wouldn't amount to a cure because it doesn't address the reason why RPE cells deteriorate in the first place. But it would buy time for patients, delaying vision loss for perhaps years. "That's huge," he says.
What will the new trial assess?
The FDA granted permission to conduct a Phase I/II clinical trial, which is essentially a safety trial, that will involve a dozen patients. The first patients will get a very low "dose" of cells — 50,000 — and will be monitored for any untoward effects.
"If there are no safety issues after three-ish months, we will increase the dose [to a level where we] hope to see efficacy," Rabin says. "We anticipate that the photoreceptor cells will awaken and that there will be a gradual increase in visual acuity over time." For now, the protocol calls for a one-time treatment of up to 200,000 cells.
Aren't there ethical concerns about using human embryonic stem cells?
Generally speaking, many people are troubled by research involving human embryonic stem cells because they are typically made by dismantling — and thus destroying — embryos that are a few days old.
Advanced Cell Technology uses a proprietary technique to extract a single cell from a young embryo, allowing the rest to remain intact and develop normally, Rabin says. A similar method is routinely used to biopsy embryos for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, in which embryos created through in vitro fertilization are scanned for genetic disorders before being transferred to a uterus.
The FDA has approved a new study aimed at fighting dry age-related macular degeneration.
About 10 million Americans suffer some degree of vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, and that figure is expected to grow as more baby boomers become senior citizens. There is no cure for the disease, but last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave a green light to an unusual clinical trial that seeks to restore patients' sight by employing human embryonic stem cells.
None of the stem cells will be injected into patients; instead, they are grown into another kind of cell that will be delivered to the back of the eye, where the retina is damaged by the disease. The hope is that the cells will help repair the damaged retinal tissue.
The company behind the trial, Santa Monica-based Advanced Cell Technology Inc., developed the therapy to treat Stargardt's macular dystrophy, a rare childhood version of macular degeneration that affects about 1 in 10,000 kids. The FDA gave the company permission to test the therapy in Stargardt's patients in November. However, if they work, the cells would have a much bigger effect as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration.
Here's a closer look at the disease and the new therapy.
What is age-related macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among people who are 65 and older, says Dr. Jose Pulido, an ophthalmologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The dry version of the disease begins with tiny deposits of fat and protein — called drusen — that appear in the center of the retina, called the macula. As the deposits grow in number and size over the course of years, things begin to look blurry in the center of a person's field of vision. As the disease worsens, the blurriness may progress to a blind spot.
What causes it?
The main problem is that light-sensing cells in the macula, called photoreceptors, slowly break down. This is thought to be caused by the loss of another population of cells, called retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which support the photoreceptors in a number of ways.
Among other things, the RPE cells release growth factors important for photoreceptors to thrive. "The RPE are also the garbage trucks of the retina," removing toxic byproducts that the retina makes as it performs its light-sensing function, says Stephen Rose, chief research officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a fundraising organization based in Columbia, Md.
Dry age-related macular degeneration can also progress into wet age-related macular degeneration, in which blood vessels grow abnormally and leak fluid into the macula. It's a much more aggressive form of the disease, but it's also more treatable.
How can human embryonic stem cells help?
The stem cells are grown into healthy replacement RPE cells and injected into the retina, says Gary Rabin, Advanced Cell Technology's chief executive. The company hopes the lab-grown cells will replace the dying RPE cells and keep vision intact — or even restore it to some degree.
"We've had incredible success with this in animal studies," Rabin says. A study published in the journal Stem Cells found that the RPE cells restored eye function in sick mice and rats to "near-normal levels," and another study in Cloning and Stem Cells reported that the treatment improved vision in affected rats until it was 70% as good as that of healthy animals.
Of course, success in animal studies doesn't always translate to humans. In addition, the eyes of people in their 50s and 60s likely present "a very different milieu for the RPE cells to try to hook onto," Pulido says.
Rose adds that the treatment, if it works, wouldn't amount to a cure because it doesn't address the reason why RPE cells deteriorate in the first place. But it would buy time for patients, delaying vision loss for perhaps years. "That's huge," he says.
What will the new trial assess?
The FDA granted permission to conduct a Phase I/II clinical trial, which is essentially a safety trial, that will involve a dozen patients. The first patients will get a very low "dose" of cells — 50,000 — and will be monitored for any untoward effects.
"If there are no safety issues after three-ish months, we will increase the dose [to a level where we] hope to see efficacy," Rabin says. "We anticipate that the photoreceptor cells will awaken and that there will be a gradual increase in visual acuity over time." For now, the protocol calls for a one-time treatment of up to 200,000 cells.
Aren't there ethical concerns about using human embryonic stem cells?
Generally speaking, many people are troubled by research involving human embryonic stem cells because they are typically made by dismantling — and thus destroying — embryos that are a few days old.
Advanced Cell Technology uses a proprietary technique to extract a single cell from a young embryo, allowing the rest to remain intact and develop normally, Rabin says. A similar method is routinely used to biopsy embryos for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, in which embryos created through in vitro fertilization are scanned for genetic disorders before being transferred to a uterus.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
FDA approves embryonic stem cells to reverse macular degeneration
by:Admin
Sacramento is now the hub of stem-cell research focusing on regenerative medicine. See the article, UC Davis: Stem Cell Research. After receiving $62 million for stem cell research last year, the new UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures opened. And the center already is testing dozens of therapies in the laboratory. The center will bring 200 scientists and laboratory personnel together under one roof. Check out the UC Davis Stem Cell Institute. See UC Davis Stem Cell Program. And check out the site, UCDMC Stem Cell Research News.
Now that the FDA has approved embryonic stem cells today, to help reverse certain types of macular degeneration, consumers should know that the stem cell taken from an embryo does not destroy the embryo. Just a single stem cell is taken from the embryo. Then the embryo continues to thrive and is not destroyed.
California sites currently under consideration for the trials include the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA and the Ophthalmology Department at Stanford University. Check out the government site listing clinical trials, Clinical Trials.gov.
Also, in the Sacramento and Davis regional area, did you know that the University of California is recruiting for or has completed at least 193 clinical trials on various types of health studies ranging from the health benefits of ground flax seeds to stem cell research? Also see the January 4, 2011 news article, Read: Vitamin Drug Could Stop Dry Macular Degeneration.
Concerning studies at another university on macular degeneration and stem cell research, if you're interested in stem cell research for macular degeneration, the breaking news is that the FDA has just approved the use of stem cells to treat certain types of macular degeneration. According to a January 4, 2011 news article, "FDA Approves Stem Cell Treatment Trial for AMD-Related Vision Loss," the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a clinical trial of human embryonic stem-cell treatments on patients who have suffered vision loss related to dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Advanced Cell Technology of Massachusetts will begin a Phase I/II open-label study on twelve patients at multiple clinical sites to determine the safety and tolerability of the treatment. The dry version of macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in older adults. Dry age-related macular degeneration is one of two forms of an eye disease that breaks down retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the macula of the retina, a layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Progressive loss of RPE cells and the accompanying loss of photoreceptors can cause severe vision loss. There are no current treatments available for AMD.
Dry AMD is the leading cause of blindness in individuals over the age of 55, afflicting approximately 10 million people in the US. And as the population ages, according to the article, "FDA Approves Stem Cell Treatment Trial for AMD-Related Vision Loss."
In the clinical trials and approved experiments, patients will receive 50,000 to 2,000,000 RPE cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to replace those lost due to AMD. While human embryonic stem cell use is controversial, ACT maintains that their cells are derived from a single-cell extraction technology that “does not destroy the embryo.” Also read the article, Read: Smoking Raises Risk of Macular Degeneration.
Sacramento is now the hub of stem-cell research focusing on regenerative medicine. See the article, UC Davis: Stem Cell Research. After receiving $62 million for stem cell research last year, the new UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures opened. And the center already is testing dozens of therapies in the laboratory. The center will bring 200 scientists and laboratory personnel together under one roof. Check out the UC Davis Stem Cell Institute. See UC Davis Stem Cell Program. And check out the site, UCDMC Stem Cell Research News.
Now that the FDA has approved embryonic stem cells today, to help reverse certain types of macular degeneration, consumers should know that the stem cell taken from an embryo does not destroy the embryo. Just a single stem cell is taken from the embryo. Then the embryo continues to thrive and is not destroyed.
California sites currently under consideration for the trials include the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA and the Ophthalmology Department at Stanford University. Check out the government site listing clinical trials, Clinical Trials.gov.
Also, in the Sacramento and Davis regional area, did you know that the University of California is recruiting for or has completed at least 193 clinical trials on various types of health studies ranging from the health benefits of ground flax seeds to stem cell research? Also see the January 4, 2011 news article, Read: Vitamin Drug Could Stop Dry Macular Degeneration.
Concerning studies at another university on macular degeneration and stem cell research, if you're interested in stem cell research for macular degeneration, the breaking news is that the FDA has just approved the use of stem cells to treat certain types of macular degeneration. According to a January 4, 2011 news article, "FDA Approves Stem Cell Treatment Trial for AMD-Related Vision Loss," the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a clinical trial of human embryonic stem-cell treatments on patients who have suffered vision loss related to dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Advanced Cell Technology of Massachusetts will begin a Phase I/II open-label study on twelve patients at multiple clinical sites to determine the safety and tolerability of the treatment. The dry version of macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in older adults. Dry age-related macular degeneration is one of two forms of an eye disease that breaks down retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in the macula of the retina, a layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Progressive loss of RPE cells and the accompanying loss of photoreceptors can cause severe vision loss. There are no current treatments available for AMD.
Dry AMD is the leading cause of blindness in individuals over the age of 55, afflicting approximately 10 million people in the US. And as the population ages, according to the article, "FDA Approves Stem Cell Treatment Trial for AMD-Related Vision Loss."
In the clinical trials and approved experiments, patients will receive 50,000 to 2,000,000 RPE cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to replace those lost due to AMD. While human embryonic stem cell use is controversial, ACT maintains that their cells are derived from a single-cell extraction technology that “does not destroy the embryo.” Also read the article, Read: Smoking Raises Risk of Macular Degeneration.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Genetic Testing for AMD is here Today
By; Diana Shechtman OD FAAO & Steven Ferrucci OD FAAO
Age-Related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease and the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly, affecting central vision required for daily activities such as driving and reading. There are a number of factors affecting AMD, such as advanced age, smoking, UV exposure, overall health (that contribute to high blood pressure, obesity, diet) and family history. Many factors may be modified and yet others like genetics cannot. Although AMD may seem to be hereditary in some families and not others, genetics have been shown to contribute significantly to the disease. Multiple twin and sibling studies have collaborated to the familial nature of the disease. First-degree relatives of patients with AMD are at a significantly increased risk for the disease. Furthermore, large epidemiological studies have suggested a strong genetic risk factor for AMD. In fact, the risk of developing AMD increases 4 fold among patients with a positive family history. In 2005 a breakthrough occurred in the area of genetic research and AMD; Klein and associates discovered a strong link between AMD and certain genetic variants. Similarly, numerous other genes have been implicated in AMD, which may increase the risk of AMD up to 70%.
Until recently there was no test to help determined patient’s inherited risk for AMD. Today, Macula Risk (ArcticDX, Toronto, Ontario) is a genetic test specifically designed to determine genetic predisposition to AMD and vision loss attributed to the more advanced stage of the disease.
Macula Risk genetic test separates individuals into one of 5 macula risk (MR) categories, with MR 3 through 5 representing an increased risk for the more advance stage of the disease. This accounts for approximately 20% of the general population. MR1 has less than a 5% risk of the advanced stage of the disease, while MR 5 carries greater than 55% risk. These results can aid the doctor in devising a specific management plan and follow-up protocol in order to reassure early intervention to prevent vision loss.
The test only requires a simple in-office cheek swab, which is sent directly to the genetic lab. The report includes test results and written genetic support information (including access to genetic counseling). Macula Risk genetic testing is covered by most insurance providers, including Medicare, as long as the specific diagnosis (ICD-9) are identified by the doctor. The prognostic genetic test is intended for patients who have a diagnosis of early or intermediate AMD. Thus, the “at risk patient,” would have to pay a fee for the test.
Despite our best efforts and new treatment options available today, many people are still losing vision from AMD. New advancements in the area of AMD are becoming an integral part in preventing future visual deterioration. AMD is affected by both environmental and genetic factors that interact with one another to determine prevalence and progression of the disease. Furthermore, at this time we do not know all of the genes linked to AMD. Hence, genetic testing in the area of AMD is only a risk indicator and cannot predict “without a shadow of a doubt,” which patients will and which will not develop the disease. However, this test provides a genetic profile screening to help identify those at risk as well as aids in tailoring a distinct management approach for those with the disease. With various researches devoted to treatment options for AMD, genetic testing in the area of AMD is at the frontier of providing crucial information.
REFERENCES
1. Swaroop, Branham KE, Chen W, Abecasis G. Genetic susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration: a paradigm for dissecting complex disease traits. Hum Mol Genet 2007; 16: 174-82.
2. Klein ML, Mauldin WM, Stoumbos VD. Heredity and age-related macular degeneration. Observations in monozygotic twins. Arch Ophthalmol. 1994; 112: 932-7.
3. Meyers SM, Greene T, Gutman FA. A twin study of age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol. 1995; 120: 757-66.
4. Heiba IM, Elston RC, Klein BE, et al. Sibling correlations and segregation analysis of age-related maculopathy: The Beaver Dam Eye Study. Genet Epidemiol. 1994; 11: 51-67.
5. Klaver CC, Wolfs RC, Assink JJ, et al. Genetic risk of age-related maculopathy. Population-based familial aggregation study. Arch Ophthalmol. 1998; 116: 1646-51.
6. Seddon JM, Ajani UA, Mitchell BD. Familial aggregation of age-related maculopathy. Am J Ophthalmol. 1997; 123: 199-206.
7. Klein RJ, Zeiss C, Chew EY, et al. Complement Factor H Polymorphism in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Science 2005; 308: 385-389.
8. Seddon JM, Reynolds R, Maller J, Fagerness JA, Daly MJ, Rosner B. Prediction model for prevalence and incidence of advanced age-related macular degeneration based on genetic, demographic, and environmental variables. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2009; 50 (65): 2044-53.
9. www.macularisk.com/en/physicians/order.html (accessed Dec. 14th , 2010)
Age-Related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease and the leading cause of vision loss among the elderly, affecting central vision required for daily activities such as driving and reading. There are a number of factors affecting AMD, such as advanced age, smoking, UV exposure, overall health (that contribute to high blood pressure, obesity, diet) and family history. Many factors may be modified and yet others like genetics cannot. Although AMD may seem to be hereditary in some families and not others, genetics have been shown to contribute significantly to the disease. Multiple twin and sibling studies have collaborated to the familial nature of the disease. First-degree relatives of patients with AMD are at a significantly increased risk for the disease. Furthermore, large epidemiological studies have suggested a strong genetic risk factor for AMD. In fact, the risk of developing AMD increases 4 fold among patients with a positive family history. In 2005 a breakthrough occurred in the area of genetic research and AMD; Klein and associates discovered a strong link between AMD and certain genetic variants. Similarly, numerous other genes have been implicated in AMD, which may increase the risk of AMD up to 70%.
Until recently there was no test to help determined patient’s inherited risk for AMD. Today, Macula Risk (ArcticDX, Toronto, Ontario) is a genetic test specifically designed to determine genetic predisposition to AMD and vision loss attributed to the more advanced stage of the disease.
Macula Risk genetic test separates individuals into one of 5 macula risk (MR) categories, with MR 3 through 5 representing an increased risk for the more advance stage of the disease. This accounts for approximately 20% of the general population. MR1 has less than a 5% risk of the advanced stage of the disease, while MR 5 carries greater than 55% risk. These results can aid the doctor in devising a specific management plan and follow-up protocol in order to reassure early intervention to prevent vision loss.
The test only requires a simple in-office cheek swab, which is sent directly to the genetic lab. The report includes test results and written genetic support information (including access to genetic counseling). Macula Risk genetic testing is covered by most insurance providers, including Medicare, as long as the specific diagnosis (ICD-9) are identified by the doctor. The prognostic genetic test is intended for patients who have a diagnosis of early or intermediate AMD. Thus, the “at risk patient,” would have to pay a fee for the test.
Despite our best efforts and new treatment options available today, many people are still losing vision from AMD. New advancements in the area of AMD are becoming an integral part in preventing future visual deterioration. AMD is affected by both environmental and genetic factors that interact with one another to determine prevalence and progression of the disease. Furthermore, at this time we do not know all of the genes linked to AMD. Hence, genetic testing in the area of AMD is only a risk indicator and cannot predict “without a shadow of a doubt,” which patients will and which will not develop the disease. However, this test provides a genetic profile screening to help identify those at risk as well as aids in tailoring a distinct management approach for those with the disease. With various researches devoted to treatment options for AMD, genetic testing in the area of AMD is at the frontier of providing crucial information.
REFERENCES
1. Swaroop, Branham KE, Chen W, Abecasis G. Genetic susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration: a paradigm for dissecting complex disease traits. Hum Mol Genet 2007; 16: 174-82.
2. Klein ML, Mauldin WM, Stoumbos VD. Heredity and age-related macular degeneration. Observations in monozygotic twins. Arch Ophthalmol. 1994; 112: 932-7.
3. Meyers SM, Greene T, Gutman FA. A twin study of age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol. 1995; 120: 757-66.
4. Heiba IM, Elston RC, Klein BE, et al. Sibling correlations and segregation analysis of age-related maculopathy: The Beaver Dam Eye Study. Genet Epidemiol. 1994; 11: 51-67.
5. Klaver CC, Wolfs RC, Assink JJ, et al. Genetic risk of age-related maculopathy. Population-based familial aggregation study. Arch Ophthalmol. 1998; 116: 1646-51.
6. Seddon JM, Ajani UA, Mitchell BD. Familial aggregation of age-related maculopathy. Am J Ophthalmol. 1997; 123: 199-206.
7. Klein RJ, Zeiss C, Chew EY, et al. Complement Factor H Polymorphism in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Science 2005; 308: 385-389.
8. Seddon JM, Reynolds R, Maller J, Fagerness JA, Daly MJ, Rosner B. Prediction model for prevalence and incidence of advanced age-related macular degeneration based on genetic, demographic, and environmental variables. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2009; 50 (65): 2044-53.
9. www.macularisk.com/en/physicians/order.html (accessed Dec. 14th , 2010)
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