Genetic Study of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Completed
Conditions studied: Age-Related Macular Degeneration
In brief
This study will examine skin and blood cells for genetic changes related to the development of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease that can significantly impair the ability to read, drive, and carry out daily activities. It is the most common cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50. People with age-related macular degeneration and healthy normal volunteers age 50 years or older may be eligible for this study. Candidates will undergo a medical history, physical examination and eye examination with dilation of the pupils. Photographs of the eye will be taken with a special camera. Study participants will have blood drawn three times (no more than 6 tablespoons each time) and will undergo three skin biopsies. For the skin biopsy, an anesthetic is injected under the skin and a small piece of skin-approximately 1/4-inch cube-is removed. The blood draws and biopsies will be done at 7- to 10-day intervals. In most cases, a single biopsy is done at each visit, but it may be necessary to take-at most-one additional biopsy from the other arm during the same visit. Patients will return for one follow-up visit 7 to 10 days after the last biopsy for examination of the biopsy site and removal of any stitches. The results of this study may provide investigators information needed to develop new means of diagnosing and treating age-related macular degeneration.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT00357578
- Run by
- National Eye Institute (NEI)
- People needed
- 150
- Starts
- 2000-04-14
- Expected to finish
- 2007-09-19
- Last updated by the study team
- 2017-07-02
Who can join
Age: 50 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may not qualify if…
- Patient age less than 50 years.
- Presence of retinal disease involving the photoreceptors and/or outer retinal layers other than AMD loss such as high myopia, retinal dystrophies, central serous retinopathy, vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy and uveitis or similar outer retinal diseases which have been present prior to the age of 50.
- Opacities of the ocular media, limitations of pupillary dilation or other problems sufficient to preclude adequate stereo fundus photography.
- Medical problems which make consistent follow-up over the treatment period unlikely (e.g., stroke, severe MI, terminal carcinoma).
- Inability or inaccessibility to obtain dermal biopsy from the inner aspect of both arms due to previous trauma, underlying skin disorder which would preclude good wound healing, previous surgery of the arm or breast which could prevent good wound healing or induce other changes at the biopsy site.
Where it is running
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike — Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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