Objective To investigate the serum levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid (FA) of exudative agerelated macular degeneration (AMD).Methods A total of 84 patients with exudative AMD（AMD group）and 78 patients with non-exudative AMD （control group） diagnosed at Xijing Hospital between June 2008 and September 2009 were assessed in this study. Serum vitamin B12 and FA levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. The statistical information of epidemiology and risk factors exposure histories were collected and compared.Results AMD group had significantly lower serum vitamin B12 levels ［（247.51plusmn;93.92）ng/ml］ compared with the control group ［（312.52plusmn;143.08） ng/ml］，the difference was statistical significance (t=5.013, P＜0.001). Serum FA levels in AMD group ［（5.64plusmn;3.72）ng/ml］ were slightly lower than the control group ［（10.14plusmn;4.48） ng/ml］, the difference was not statistical significance (t=0.780, P=0.437).Conclusion People with lower serum vitamin B12have higher risk of exudative AMD. Low levels of serum vitamin B12 may relate with the occurrence of exudative AMD.
Purpose To detect whether a 3243 point mutation existed in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). MethodsTwenty-six cases of wet form AMD patients, ten cases of dry form AMD patients were selected,and compared with twenty nomal controls. After collecting anti-coagulated blood samples, total cellular DNA were extracted and purified. Using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment long polymorphism techniques, the mtDNA Ararr;G point mutation at position 3243 were detected. Results After cleaveded by restriction endonuclease Apa I, a 294 bp fragment remained only in all detected DNA samples including twenty-six wet form AMD, and ten dry form AMD. No any other fragment appeared. The result showed that there was no Ararr;G mutation at position 3243 found in AMD. Conclusion It is suggested that mtDNA 3243 point mutation due to maternal inheritance might be not concerned with both wet form AMD and dry form AMD. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2000,16:231-232)