Complement Factor H Variant Increases the Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Jonathan L. Haines(Duke University), Michael A. Hauser(Duke University), Silke Schmidt(Duke University), William K. Scott(Duke University), Lana M. Olson(Duke University), Paul J. Gallins(Duke University), Kylee L. Spencer(Duke University), Shu Ying Kwan(Duke University), Maher Noureddine(Duke University), John R. Gilbert(Duke University), Nathalie Schnetz‐Boutaud(Duke University), Anita Agarwal(Duke University), Eric A. Postel(Duke University), Margaret A. Pericak‐Vance(Duke University)
Science
March 10, 2005
Cited by 2,414

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness in the elderly whose etiology remains largely unknown. Previous studies identified chromosome 1q32 as harboring a susceptibility locus for AMD. We used single-nucleotide polymorphisms to interrogate this region and identified a strongly associated haplotype in two independent data sets. DNA resequencing of the complement factor H gene within this haplotype revealed a common coding variant, Y402H, that significantly increases the risk for AMD with odds ratios between 2.45 and 5.57. This common variant likely explains approximately 43% of AMD in older adults.


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