Choleterol and age-related macular degeneration: i there a link?

Purpoe To examine the relation among erum choleterol, apolipoprotein E genotype (APOE), and the rik of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Deign The Rotterdam tudy, a population baed propective cohort tudy. Method erum level of total and high-denity lipoprotein (HDL) choleterol a well a APOE genotype were determined at baeline. Of 3,944 ubject, 400 were diagnoed with incident early and late AMD after a mean follow-up of 5.2 year. Reult erum HDL, but not total, choleterol wa aociated with an increaed rik of AMD (odd ratio/D, 1.20; 95% confidence interval; 1.06–1.35). The aociation remained unchanged after adjutment for APOE genotype. When tratifying for APOE genotype, the aociation wa tronget in peron with the e 4 allele; an invere aociation eemed to be preent for e 2 carrier. Concluion Elevated HDL but not total choleterol i aociated with an increaed rik of AMD. Apolipoprotein E genotype doe not explain thi aociation but may be an effect modifier.