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Biomedical subjects

David T L Liu

Publications and source records attributed to David T L Liu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Association of complement factor H polymorphisms with exudative age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: Variants in the complement factor H (CFH) gene have been reported to be associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We conducted a case-control association study to investigate the association of 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CFH with exudative AMD in the Chinese population. METHODS: We recruited 163 cases and 244 controls, all ethnic Chinese, with complete ophthalmic examination including fundus investigation. Cigarette smoking was recorded. Six SNPs (dbSNP ID: rs3753394, rs800292, rs1061147, rs1061170, rs380390, and rs1329428) in the CFH gene were genotyped by Taqman assays. RESULTS: Y402H (1277 T>C) has low frequencies in our study population, 5.8% in patients and 3.9% in controls. It was not associated with exudative AMD adjusted for age, gender and smoking. Significant associations were detected for AMD with rs3753394 (p=0.003, p(corr)=0.018), rs800292 (p=0.00053, p(corr)=0.0032), and rs1329428 (p=0.00092, p(corr)=0.0028), p(corr) values obtained after adjustment for multicomparison. A haplotype containing these four SNPs (TGTC) was found to confer a significantly increased likelihood of exudative AMD with an odds ratio of 1.68 (95% CI: 1.26-2.23) p=0.0003 (p(corr)=0.0026 after correction by permutation test). Logistic regression analysis detected no interactions between the SNPs and age, gender or smoking. CONCLUSIONS: We have found differences in the association between the CFH gene and exudative AMD in Chinese from Caucasians and Japanese. We detected SNP rs3753394 in the CFH promoter carrying a significantly increased risk for exudative AMD.

Aged↗

HTRA1 promoter polymorphism in wet age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of irreversible vision loss in individuals aged older than 50 years, is classified as either wet (neovascular) or dry (nonneovascular). Inherited variation in the complement factor H gene is a major risk factor for drusen in dry AMD. Here we report that a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of HTRA1, a serine protease gene on chromosome 10q26, is a major genetic risk factor for wet AMD. A whole-genome association mapping strategy was applied to a Chinese population, yielding a P value of <10(-11). Individuals with the risk-associated genotype were estimated to have a likelihood of developing wet AMD 10 times that of individuals with the wild-type genotype.

Aged↗

Combined photodynamic therapy and intravitreal triamcinolone injection for the treatment of choroidal neovascularisation secondary to pathological myopia: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the efficacy and safety of combined intravitreal triamcinolone (IVTA) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in the treatment of choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia. METHODS: 22 eyes of 22 patients with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV due to pathological myopia were prospectively recruited for combined PDT with IVTA. The treatment outcomes at 1 year were compared with those in a control group of 22 eyes that received PDT monotherapy. RESULTS: At 1 year, the logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for the combined PDT with IVTA group changed from 0.62 to 0.61 (p = 0.74), whereas that for the monotherapy group changed from 0.61 to 0.67 (p = 0.33). The mean logMAR BCVA and proportions of patients without losing > or =3 lines at 1 year were similar between the two groups (p = 0.68 and 0.74, respectively). Subgroup analyses showed that eyes with baseline logMAR BCVA worse than 0.6 (Snellen equivalent 20/80) or CNV with greatest linear dimension > or =750 microm which received combined therapy had better mean logMAR BCVA at 1 year (p = 0.023 and 0.041, respectively), with a higher proportion of eyes gaining > or =2 lines of BCVA (p = 0.027 and 0.017, respectively) compared with PDT monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Combined PDT with IVTA did not seem to result in significantly better visual outcome compared with PDT monotherapy. However, combined therapy might result in better visual outcome in selected patients with worse initial visual acuity or larger myopic CNV. Further studies are warranted to investigate the role of combined PDT with IVTA in the treatment of myopic CNV, especially in patients with worse prognostic factors.

Adult↗

Cerebellum vasculopathy and normal tension glaucoma in systemic lupus erythematosus: report of a case and review of the literature.

Cerebellar vasculopathy is an uncommon but clinically important neuropsychiatric syndrome of systemic lupus erythematosus (NP-SLE) for its ominous outcome and need for prompt interventions. We described a young Chinese lady with systemic lupus erythematosus and normal tension glaucoma, who had sudden headache, nausea and vomiting coupled with rapid neurological deterioration leading to comatose status. Diagnosis of lupus cerebellar vasculopathy was made and intense immunosuppressive therapy consisting of prednisolone and cyclophosphamide was commenced. Clinical condition was salvaged with marked improvement of both sensorium and general well-being.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗

Aqueous humor levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and pigment epithelium-derived factor in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and choroidal neovascularization.

PURPOSE: To determine the aqueous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in patients with active polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and pathologic myopia. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative control study. METHODS: Aqueous humors were collected from 32 eyes of 32 patients for either active PCV or CNV. Among them, 11 eyes had active and symptomatic PCV, 12 eyes had active CNV secondary to AMD, and nine eyes had active CNV of pathologic myopia. Levels of VEGF and PEDF were determined by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. A group of 10 aqueous samples from 10 patients who underwent cataract surgery without other ocular or systemic diseases comprised the controls. RESULTS: VEGF concentrations in aqueous humor were markedly increased in patients with PCV, CNV of AMD, and CNV of myopia when compared with the controls (analysis of variance [ANOVA], P < .001). VEGF levels in eyes with PCV were, however, significantly lower than those of exudative AMD (P = .045). The PEDF levels were also significantly different among the groups (ANOVA, P = .001), and we observed increased levels in PCV, CNV of AMD, and CNV of myopia. CONCLUSIONS: VEGF and PEDF factors were coexpressed and increased with positive correlation in aqueous humor of eyes with active PCV. The different levels of both factors in eyes of PCV and AMD might suggest distinct clinical entities or different angiogenesis courses between PCV and AMD.

Adult↗