Jost B Jonas1, Sohan Singh Hayreh, Peter Martus. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate whether development of macular drusen is influenced by experimentally induced chronic arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. METHODS: The prospective experimental study included 93 eyes of 51 elderly rhesus monkeys. The total study group was divided into groups with experimental arterial hypertension ( n=22), diet-induced atherosclerosis ( n=10), or both arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis ( n=29) and a control group without arterial hypertension or atherosclerosis ( n=32). Using color wide-angle fundus photographs taken at the beginning and the end of the study, age-related macular degeneration was graded by counting the number and estimating the mean size of drusen in the macular region. RESULTS: In the monkeys with arterial hypertension, the count and area of the macular drusen and the change in number and size of macular drusen during the follow-up period were significantly ( P<0.05) higher than in the monkeys of the control group. Correspondingly, the count and size of macular drusen were significantly ( P<0.05) correlated with the duration of arterial hypertension. In contrast, monkeys with only atherosclerosis did not vary significantly ( P>0.10) from monkeys of the control group in number and size of drusen. The macular drusen parameters were statistically ( P>0.20) independent of the duration of atherosclerosis. Similarly, the atherosclerotic monkeys and the monkeys of the control group did not vary significantly ( P>0.30) in the change of the macular drusen parameters during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Development of macular drusen as part of age-related macular degeneration in rhesus monkeys may be associated with experimentally induced arterial hypertension. It does not seem to be influenced by diet-induced atherosclerosis.
PURPOSE: To evaluate whether development of macular drusen is influenced by experimentally induced chronic arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. METHODS: The prospective experimental study included 93 eyes of 51 elderly rhesus monkeys. The total study group was divided into groups with experimental arterial hypertension ( n=22), diet-induced atherosclerosis ( n=10), or both arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis ( n=29) and a control group without arterial hypertension or atherosclerosis ( n=32). Using color wide-angle fundus photographs taken at the beginning and the end of the study, age-related macular degeneration was graded by counting the number and estimating the mean size of drusen in the macular region. RESULTS: In the monkeys with arterial hypertension, the count and area of the macular drusen and the change in number and size of macular drusen during the follow-up period were significantly ( P<0.05) higher than in the monkeys of the control group. Correspondingly, the count and size of macular drusen were significantly ( P<0.05) correlated with the duration of arterial hypertension. In contrast, monkeys with only atherosclerosis did not vary significantly ( P>0.10) from monkeys of the control group in number and size of drusen. The macular drusen parameters were statistically ( P>0.20) independent of the duration of atherosclerosis. Similarly, the atherosclerotic monkeys and the monkeys of the control group did not vary significantly ( P>0.30) in the change of the macular drusen parameters during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Development of macular drusen as part of age-related macular degeneration in rhesus monkeys may be associated with experimentally induced arterial hypertension. It does not seem to be influenced by diet-induced atherosclerosis.
Authors: Gary E Striker; Francoiçe Praddaude; Oscar Alcazar; Scott W Cousins; Maria E Marin-Castaño Journal: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Date: 2008-10-15 Impact factor: 4.249