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BJO Online First, published on May 10, 2011 as 10.1136/bjo.2010.193680
Clinical science

CFH, VEGF and HTRA1 promoter genotype may


influence the response to intravitreal ranibizumab
therapy for neovascular age-related
macular degeneration
Martin McKibbin,1,2 Manir Ali,2 Shveta Bansal,1,2 Paul D Baxter,3 Kumi West,1
Grange Williams,2 Frances Cassidy,1 Chris F Inglehearn2
1
Eye Clinic, St. James’s ABSTRACT Given the greater understanding of the genetic
University Hospital, Leeds, UK Aims To investigate an association between genotype for changes underlying AMD, we hypothesised that
2
Section of Ophthalmology and three single nucleotide polymorphisms strongly intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis, Novartis Phar-
Neuroscience, Leeds Institute of
Molecular Medicine, University associated with the development of age-related macular maceuticals, Camberley, UK) therapy may be more
of Leeds, Leeds, UK degeneration (AMD) and the early response to treatment effective in patients with certain combinations of
3
Division of Biostatistics, Leeds with intravitreal ranibizumab for neovascular AMD. AMD susceptibility alleles than with others. In this
Institute of Genetics, Health and Methods Best corrected visual acuity letter score was study, we therefore compared genotypes for CFH,
Therapeutics, University of
Leeds, Leeds, UK recorded at baseline and each subsequent visit. Age, HTRA1 and VEGF, and other potential variables,
sex, smoking history, lesion type and the number of with visual acuity response after 6 months of
Correspondence to injections were also recorded. Genotypes were obtained intravitreal ranibizumab therapy for neovascular
Martin McKibbin, Eye Clinic, St for rs11200638 in HTRA1, rs1061170 in CFH and AMD.
James’s University Hospital, rs1413711 in VEGF. Data were analysed with treatment
Leeds LS9 7TF, UK; martin.
mckibbin@leedsth.nhs.uk response at month 6 as both a binary (>5 letter METHODS
improvement vs #5 letter gain) and a linear trait. This study was approved by the Leeds (East)
A poster including some of Results This initial study cohort consisted of 104 Research Ethics Committee and registered as
these data has been presented Caucasian neovascular AMD patients treated with a clinical trial with the Medicines and Healthcare
at the ARVO meeting, May intravitreal ranibizumab. Trends towards a more Regulatory Authority. Participants were recruited
2010.
favourable outcome were seen with the higher AMD from the intravitreal injection clinics at St James’s
Accepted 13 April 2011 risk genotypes in CFH and VEGF in both the linear and University Hospital, Leeds. Inclusion and exclusion
binary models and in HTRA1 in the linear model alone. criteria are detailed in box 1. Written informed
For CFH, mean letter score change after 6 months consent was taken prior to enrolment.
was +1.6, +5.9 and +7.2 letters for the TT, TC and Baseline stereoscopic colour fundus, fluorescein
CC genotypes and a >5 letter gain was seen in and indocyanine green (when available) angiogram
34.6%, 56.6% and 56%, respectively. For VEGF, mean images were reviewed and graded by a single
letter score change after 6 months was +1.3, +5.8 and observer (MM) to identify lesion characteristics.9
+7.4 letters for the TT, TC and CC genotypes and a >5 The baseline choroidal neovascularisation pheno-
letter gain was seen in 40%, 55.8% and 51.9%, type was classified as being classic only (100%
respectively. For HTRA1, mean letter score change was classic), predominantly classic (50e99%), mini-
+2.2, +7.5 and +2.9 letters for the GG, GA and AA mally classic (1e49%) and occult only or retinal
genotypes. angiomatous proliferation (RAP). (Given the
Conclusions This study reports preliminary evidence uncertainty surrounding response to treatment,
suggesting that the higher AMD risk genotypes in CFH, data from eyes with RAP lesions were also analysed
VEGF and HTRA1 may influence the short-term response as a subgroup and compared with eyes with other
to treatment with ranibizumab for neovascular AMD. baseline lesion characteristics.) Information
regarding sex, smoking history and the number of
injections before the month 6 visit was also
recorded.
INTRODUCTION At baseline and subsequent visits, best corrected
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the visual acuity letter score was measured using an
most common cause of visual impairment in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study
Western world, accounting for over 50% of certifi- (ETDRS) chart and recorded for both eyes. Optical
able sight impairment in the UK alone.1 Epidemi- coherence tomography (OCT) examination was
ological and association studies have shown that performed using either Stratus OCT (Carl Zeiss
both genetic and environmental factors play Meditec, Dublin, California, USA) or Spectralis
a major role in the development of AMD.2 Associ- OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg,
ation studies have implicated variants in a number Germany). Intravitreal ranibizumab therapy was
of genes, with the largest effects observed with administered in accordance with the European
alleles of the complement factor H (CFH), HTRA1 and Medicines Agency marketing authorisation and
Apolipoprotein E genes.3e6 Association with AMD standard UK practice, with three consecutive
has also been reported for polymorphisms in the monthly injections in a loading phase and further
VEGF gene.7 8 injections as required in a maintenance phase.

McKibbin M, Ali M,Article


Copyright Bansal S, et al. Br J Ophthalmol
author (or their (2011). doi:10.1136/bjo.2010.193680
employer) 2011. Produced 1 of 5
by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd under licence.
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Clinical science

a linear model with actual letter score change and a binary


Box 1 Main inclusion and exclusion criteria logistic model with a gain of >5 ETDRS letters. The following
potential predictor variables were included in both models: sex
Inclusion criteria (male or female), smoking status (current smoker, ex-smoker
< Age 65 years or more and never smoked), number of injections received (<4 or $4 in
< Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) secondary to age-related the first 6 months), lesion type (RAP or other angiographic
macular degeneration and involving the foveal centre classification), baseline acuity (<54 letters or $54 letters), VEGF
< CNV occupying at least 50% of the total lesion area genotype (TT, TC or CC), HTRA1 genotype (AA, GA or GG) and
< Greatest linear diameter #5400 mm CFH genotype (TT, TC or CC). All p values reported refer to
< No subfoveal atrophy or fibrosis significance tests of the potential predictor variables derived
< Recent disease progression from these multiple regression models. The predetermined level
< Minimum of 6 months follow-up after first intravitreal of statistical significance was p<0.01.
ranibizumab injection
RESULTS
Exclusion criteria The baseline demographics, lesion characteristics and ETDRS
< Other ocular disease that may influence the treatment
letter score for the initial cohort of 104 Caucasian participants
outcome without prior treatment are described in table 1. Mean baseline
< CNV secondary to pathological myopia, inflammatory disease,
acuity was 51.5 ETDRS letters (SD ¼15.7), and subjects received
angioid streaks or trauma an average of 4.0 injections (SD ¼0.9) before the month 6 visit.
< Peripapillary CNV extending to the foveal centre or polypoidal
The mean change in acuity at the month 6 visit was a gain of
choroidal vasculopathy +5.2 letters (SD ¼13.6). Visual loss of $15 letters was avoided
< Cataract surgery in the study eye any time from 3 months
in 98 eyes (94.2%). A gain of at least 1 letter was seen in 68 eyes
before until 6 months after the initiation of intravitreal (65.4%) and gains of $5 letters and $15 letters were seen in 57
ranibizumab therapy (54.8%) and 27 eyes (26.0%), respectively.
< Failure to complete 6 months of intravitreal ranibizumab
The association of sex, smoking status, lesion type, number of
therapy injections and baseline visual acuity with ETDRS letter score
change at month 6 is shown in table 2. Of these variables, only
baseline visual acuity had a significant association (p<0.01) with
Retreatment in the maintenance phase was prompted by stan- visual acuity change at month 6 when included in the multiple
dard criteria, namely a decrease in best corrected visual acuity regression analyses. Eyes with baseline acuity <54 letters had
of $5 letters and/or persistent or recurrent subretinal fluid, a mean change of +9.9 letters while those with 54 letters or
intraretinal cysts or thickening on OCT or new subretinal more at baseline had a change of +0.4 letters. A gain of >5
haemorrhage on clinical examination. ETDRS letters was seen in 65% of the eyes with baseline acuity
DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes and <54 letters and only 37% of those with 54 or more letters at
genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the baseline.
CFH (Y402H, rs1061170), VEGF (+674, rs1413711) and HTRA1 The CFH Y402H, VEGF and HTRA1 genotype frequencies,
(512, rs11200638) genes. Amplimers of 220, 246 and 348 bp in baseline ETDRS letter score, letter score change after 6 months
length were generated by the PCR using the PCRx Enhancer and number of injections within the first 6 months are shown in
System (Invitrogen, Paisley, UK). Briefly, a 20 ml reaction volume table 3. In the multivariate analysis, non-significant trends,
contained 100 mM dNTPs, 1.5 mM MgSO4, 1 3 PCRx Amplifi- suggesting a more favourable visual acuity outcome with
cation buffer, 0.15 units Taq DNA polymerase, 100 ng genomic possession of one or more high-risk alleles, were seen for CFH,
DNA and 20 pmol of each of the F and R primers. The HTRA1 VEGF and HTRA1. For the CFH genotype, mean letter score
PCR also used 23 Enhancer solution. For the CFH poly- change after 6 months was +1.6 letters for the lower risk TT
morphism, the primers used were CFH-F (dtgg tcc tta gga aaa genotype and +5.9 and +7.2 for the higher risk TC and CC
tgt ta) and CFH-R (dgaa cat gct agg att tca gag tag tg); for the genotype (p¼0.18, 0.71 and 0.17 for TC, CC and combined TC
VEGF polymorphism, the primers consisted of VEGF-F (dtgg cta
cag gcc tcc aag ta) and VEGF-R (dtca ccc att ccc atg aca c) and, Table 1 Baseline demographics and lesion characteristics
for the HTRA1 polymorphism, the primers were HTRA1-F (dtag
Age
gct ctc tgc gaa tac gg) and HTRA1-R (dggg gaa agt tcc tgc aaa
Mean (SD) 81.5 years (6.3)
tc). The reactions were performed in a DNA thermal cycler for Range 65e96
2 min at 958C followed by 40 cycles of 948C denaturation for Sex
30 s, an annealing temperature of 588C for the CFH primers, Male 46 (44.2%)
568C for the VEGF primers and 56.58C for the HTRA1 primers Female 58 (55.8%)
for 45 s and an extension step of 728C for 45 s with a final Smoking status
extension of 728C for 5 min. The PCR products were digested Current smokers 12 (11.5%)
with ExoSAP-IT (GE Healthcare, Chalfont St Giles, UK), Ex-smokers* 48 (46.2%)
sequenced using the BigDye Terminator V.3.1 Cycle Sequencing Non-smokers 44 (42.3%)
Kit and resolved on an ABI3130xl Genetic Analyzer (Applied Lesion type
Biosystems, Warrington, UK). The sequencing primers were Classic only 20 (19.2%)
CFH-R, VEGF-F and HTRA1-F, respectively. Chromatograms Predominantly classic 8 (7.7%)
were viewed using Sequencing Analysis 5.2 software (Applied Minimally classic 14 (13.5%)
Biosystems) to identify SNPs. Occult only 49 (47.1%)
To test the statistical significance of potential predictor vari- RAP 13 (12.5%)
ables, multiple regression analyses were conducted, using both *Not smoked for at least 12 months prior to the first injection.

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Clinical science

Table 2 Visual acuity change in baseline and clinical subgroups


Potential variable p Values
Sex Male Female
Number of cases 46 58
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 54.6 (16.0) 49.1 (15.2) 0.08
Mean BCVA letter score change (SD) +3.1 (12.4) +6.8 (14.5) 0.17
>5 letter gain (%) 19 (41.3%) 34 (58.6%) 0.12

Smoking status Never smoked Ex-smokers Current smokers


Number of cases 44 48 12
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 49.4 (16.4) 52.7 (16.2) 54.3 (10.5) 0.32*, 0.33*
Mean BCVA letter score change (SD) +7.0 (13.2) +4.0 (13.4) +3.2 (16.6) 0.27*, 0.40*
>5 letter gain (%) 24 (54.5%) 23 (47.9%) 6 (50%) 0.67*, 1.00*

Lesion characteristics RAP Other lesion type


Number of cases 13 91
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 44.2 (13.1) 52.5 (15.8) 0.07
Mean BCVA letter score change (SD) +11.0 (11.9) +4.3 (13.7) 0.10
>5 letter gain (%) 9 (69.2%) 44 (48.4%) 0.27

Baseline visual acuity <54 letters ‡54 letters


Number of cases 52 52
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 38.3 (9.7) 64.7 (7.2)
Mean BCVA letter score change (SD) +9.9 (13.4) +0.4 (12.3) 0.0002
>5 letter gain (%) 34 (65.4%) 19 (36.5%) 0.006

Number of injections <4 injections ‡4 injections


Number of cases 34 70
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 54.7 (14.1) 49.9 (16.3) 0.14
Mean BCVA letter score change (SD) +6.8 (10.3) +4.3 (15.0) 0.39
>5 letter gain (%) 18 (52.9%) 35 (50%) 0.94
*‘Never smoked’ is the reference category.
BCVA, best corrected visual acuity; RAP, retinal angiomatous proliferation.

or CC genotypes compared with TT). A gain of >5 ETDRS higher risk TC and CC genotypes, respectively (p¼0.11, 0.11 and
letters was seen in 34.6%, 56.6% and 56% of eyes with the TT, 0.09 for the TC, CC and combined TC or CC genotypes
TC and CC genotypes (p¼0.04, 0.4 and 0.06 for TC, CC or compared with TT). A gain of >5 letters was seen in 40%, 55.8%
combined TC or CC genotypes compared with TT). and 51.9% of eyes with the TT, TC and CC genotypes (p¼0.08,
For VEGF, mean ETDRS letter score change at month 6 was 0.38 and 0.13 for TC, CC and combined TC or CC genotypes
a gain of +1.3, +5.8 and +7.4 letters for the lower risk TT and compared with TT).

Table 3 Visual acuity change from baseline, number of injections and genotype
p Values
CFH genotype TT TC CC
Frequency (%) 26 (25%) 53 (50.9%) 25 (24.1%)
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 53.5 (18.0) 51.3 (14.1) 49.8 (16.9)
Mean BCVA letter score change after 6 months (SD) +1.6 (13.1) +5.9 (14.6) +7.2 (11.7) 0.18*, 0.71*
Number with >5 BCVA letter score gain after 6 months (%) 9 (34.6%) 30 (56.6%) 14 (56%) 0.04*, 0.4*
Mean number of injections in 6 months (SD) 4.1 (0.8) 4.1 (0.9) 3.7 (1.1)

HTRA1 genotype GG GA AA
Frequency (%) 27 (26%) 55 (52.9%) 22 (21.1%)
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 51.0 (14.4) 50.7 (15.6) 54.1 (18.0)
Mean BCVA letter score change after 6 months (SD) +2.2 (14.4) +7.5 (13.2) +2.9 (13.4) 0.03*, 0.55*
Number with >5 BCVA letter score gain after 6 months (%) 13 (48.1%) 30 (54.5%) 10 (45.5%) 0.16*, 0.59*
Mean number of injections in 6 months (SD) 4.0 (0.9) 4.0 (1.0) 4.2 (1.0)

VEGF genotype TT TC CC
Frequency (%) 25 (24.1%) 52 (50%) 27 (25.9%)
Mean baseline BCVA letter score (SD) 51.3 (15.7) 52.6 (14.2) 49.5 (18.6)
Mean BCVA letter score change after 6 months (SD) +1.3 (12.7) +5.8 (14.8) +7.4 (11.8) 0.11*, 0.11*
Number with >5 BCVA letter score gain after 6 months (%) 10 (40%) 29 (55.8%) 14 (51.9%) 0.08*, 0.38*
Mean number of injections in 6 months (SD) 4.2 (1.0) 3.9 (0.9) 4.1 (1.0)
*Compared with the lower risk CFH TT, HTRA1 GG and VEGF TT genotypes in multivariate analysis.
BCVA, best corrected visual acuity; CFH, complement factor H; HTRA1, high-temperature requirement factor A-1; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.

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Clinical science

For HTRA1, mean ETDRS letter score change at month 6 was therefore detect the segregation of common haplotypes
a gain of +2.2, +7.5 and +2.9 letters for the lower risk GG and containing the +674 polymorphism.
higher risk GA and AA genotypes, respectively (p¼0.03, 0.55 and Polymorphisms in the promoter region of the HTRA1 (high-
0.07 for GA, AA and combined GA or AA genotypes compared temperature requirement factor A-1) gene have been shown to
with GG). No association was seen in the binary visual acuity increase susceptibility to AMD, especially the neovascular form,
change model. in Caucasian and other populations.3 4 Possession of the high-
risk A allele is associated with increased levels of the HTRA1
DISCUSSION protein in drusen, retinal pigment epithelium and choroidal
In the ANCHOR and MARINA studies, the response to treat- neovascular membranes of eyes with AMD.3 4 Chowers found
ment seemed to be consistent despite baseline variation in lesion no association between the HTRA1 promoter genotype and the
size, visual acuity and lesion characteristics.10e12 Although visual acuity outcome or number of injections after PDT.24 In
current evidence still suggests that regular monthly treatment is our series, a trend towards better visual acuity outcome after
associated with the optimum visual acuity response, a number 6 months of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy was seen for the
of other studies have suggested that a proportion of patients increasing AMD risk HTRA1 genotypes, using the linear model
may not need such regular dosage after the initial loading phase alone. Although the total number of injections was similar for all
to maintain the early gain in visual acuity.13 14 In the PIER three HTRA1 genotypes, there was a large gain in visual acuity in
study, 40% of patients maintained their initial gain with quar- the individuals who were heterozygous for the high AMD risk A
terly treatment after the initial loading phase although 60% lost allele and a more modest gain in homozygotes. The apparent
their initial gain.13 We hypothesised that the variable acuity advantage of heterozygotes over homozygotes for either HTRA1
responses seen in these trials may be related to genotype. The genotype is unexpected. However, heterozygote advantage is
results of our pilot study suggest that the visual acuity change a documented phenomenon in many biological systems and is
after 6 months of ranibizumab therapy may indeed be influ- not unprecedented in autoimmune disease, which some consider
enced by polymorphisms in three genes that are known to to be the basis of AMD.25 A similar, but non-significant, trend
increase the risk of developing neovascular AMD. was also seen in the binary acuity outcome model. In this
Prior studies have investigated a possible association between study, the allele frequency of the A allele was 0.48, higher than in
the CFH genotype and response to verteporfin photodynamic other published Caucasian AMD series.3 24 26 The higher
therapy (PDT) and both intravitreal bevacizumab and ranibi- frequency of this allele in our study population of AMD patients
zumab therapies. For PDT, the results are conflicting. Goverdhan from Yorkshire may have provided the opportunity to identify
reported greater loss of visual acuity after PDT in patients with this effect.
the CC and CT CFH genotypes and Feng reported a trend In this pilot study, we have identified preliminary evidence of
towards an association between a negative PDT response and associations between visual acuity outcome after 6 months of
the CC genotype.15 16 However, Brantley identified a worse intravitreal ranibizumab and polymorphisms in the CFH, VEGF
outcome with the TT CFH genotype and Seitsonen found and HTRA1 genes. For each gene, a trend towards a better
a lower proportion of PDT responders in the TT genotype outcome was seen with the polymorphisms considered to
group.17 18 With intravitreal bevacizumab, Brantley and Nischler increase the risk of developing neovascular or advanced AMD.
reported a trend towards reduced visual acuity and a lower Although the mechanism by which these polymorphisms
percentage of subjects with improved acuity for the CC geno- contribute to AMD susceptibility is not known, these findings
type.19 20 Lee identified that patients with the CC genotype may imply that neovascular AMD is not one disease but rather
required one more ranibizumab injection over the first 9 months, several different diseases with a common end point. There may
but the CFH genotype was not significantly associated with be a common form of AMD that results from the action of one
post-treatment visual acuity at either 6 or 9 months, after or more high-risk alleles at HTRA1, CFH and VEGF. This form of
adjusting for pretreatment acuity.21 In our study, we did not find AMD may be characterised by high levels of intraocular VEGF
an association between CFH genotype and the number of and may respond favourably to ranibizumab therapy. Another
injections in the first 6 months, but we did find a trend towards form of AMD, secondary to other susceptibility genes, may not
a better visual acuity response with the higher risk TC or CC be characterised by high intraocular VEGF and may respond
genotypes. differently to treatment.27
Although the VEGF gene does not appear to be a major Our original hypothesis was that genotype may be associated
genetic contributor to the development of neovascular AMD, with either visual acuity change or the number of additional
the +674 C/T polymorphism has been most strongly associated injections required. The 6-month time point provided the
with neovascular AMD in a Caucasian population.7 8 McKay has opportunity to investigate both these effects.13 28 The initial
also suggested that VEGF polymorphisms may influence the response to treatment for the entire group is in keeping with
development of certain anatomic types of neovascular AMD.22 data from multicentre clinical trials, suggesting that the associ-
Given the role of VEGF in the angiogenesis and hyper- ation with genotype is real and not the result of selection bias. In
permeability that characterise neovascular AMD, this poly- addition, the allele frequencies for the CFH and VEGF genes are
morphism was considered to be another potential factor that similar to other published series and there are no minor alleles
might influence the response to blockage of the biological effect with a frequency below 10%. Despite these strengths, there are
of VEGF within the eye. In the linear acuity change model alone, potential limitations to the findings of our study. As the treat-
there was a trend suggesting a better outcome with the higher ment was given with a loading phase of three consecutive
risk TC or CC genotypes. To our knowledge, no other group has injections, followed by a maintenance phase with repeated
investigated the influence of this polymorphism on the response injection only as required, the results may not be applicable to
to ranibizumab therapy for AMD. However, Immonen has patients treated with regular monthly injections. The modest
recently identified a potential link between other intronic and number of subjects in this initial analysis means that we are
promoter site VEGF polymorphisms and the anatomic response liable to detect only large associations between genotype and
to PDT.23 These SNPs cover the entire VEGF gene and will visual outcome and that none of the potential associations met

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Clinical science

the predetermined level of significance. The study population 10. Rosenfeld PJ, Brown DM, Heier JS, et al. Ranibizumab for neovascular age-related
indicates that the results are only applicable to other Caucasian macular degeneration. N Engl J Med 2006;355:1419e31.
11. Brown DM, Kaiser PK, Michels M, et al. Ranibizumab versus verteporfin for
populations and that the high risk HTRA1 A allele was partic- neovascular age-related macular degeneration. N Engl J Med 2006;355:1432e44.
ularly common in the local population. The association with 12. Boyer DS, Antoszyk AN, Awh CC, et al. Subgroup analysis of the MARINA study of
visual acuity was not supported by an increased number of ranibizumab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology
2007;114:246e52.
injections. 13. Mitchell P, Korobelnik JF, Lanzetta P, et al. Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in neovascular
In this study, we have identified trends suggesting a more age-related macular degeneration: evidence from clinical trials. Br J Ophthalmol
favourable visual acuity outcome after 6 months of intravitreal 2010;94:2e13.
14. Fung AE, Lalwani GA, Rosenfeld PJ, et al. An optical coherence tomography-guided,
ranibizumab therapy with the higher AMD risk CFH, VEGF and variable dosing regimen with intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis) for neovascular age-
HTRA1 genotypes. These findings may imply that the mecha- related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol 2007;143:566e83.
nisms underlying the more common form(s) of AMD, due largely 15. Goverdhan SV, Hannan S, Newsom RB, et al. An analysis of the CFH Y402H
to the action of risk alleles at the loci tested in this study, are genotype in AMD patients and controls from the UK, and response to PDT treatment.
Eye (Lond) 2008;22:849e54.
those best targeted by anti-VEGF therapy. Neovascular AMD in 16. Feng X, Xiao J, Longville B, et al. Complement factor H Y402H and C-reactive protein
individuals without these high-risk alleles may in part be due to polymorphism and photodynamic therapy response in age-related macular
mechanisms that respond less favourably to anti-VEGF therapy. degeneration. Ophthalmology 2009;116:1908e12.
17. Brantley MA Jr, Edelstein SL, King JM, et al. Association of complement factor H
Funding This project was supported by a grant from Yorkshire Eye Research and by and LOC387715 genotypes with response of exudative age-related macular
an investigator-initiated research grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK. The funding degeneration to photodynamic therapy. Eye (Lond) 2009;23:626e31.
organisations had no role in either the design or the conduct of the research. 18. Seitsonen SP, Jarvela IE, Meri S, et al. The effect of complement factor H Y402H
polymorphism on the outcome of photodynamic therapy in age-related macular
Competing interests None. degeneration. Eur J Ophthalmol 2007;17:943e9.
Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Leeds East 19. Brantley MA Jr, Fang AM, King JM, et al. Association of complement factor H and
Research Ethics Committee. LOC387715 genotypes with response of exudative age-related macular degeneration
to intravitreal bevacizumab. Ophthalmology 2007;114:2168e73.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed. 20. Nischler C, Oberkofler H, Ortner C, et al. Complement factor H Y402H gene
polymorphism and response to intravitreal bevacizumab in exudative age-related
macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol. Published Online First: 14 January 2011.
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CFH, VEGF and HTRA1 promoter genotype


may influence the response to intravitreal
ranibizumab therapy for neovascular
age-related macular degeneration
Martin McKibbin, Manir Ali, Shveta Bansal, et al.

Br J Ophthalmol published online May 10, 2011


doi: 10.1136/bjo.2010.193680

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References This article cites 26 articles, 9 of which can be accessed free at:
http://bjo.bmj.com/content/early/2011/05/09/bjo.2010.193680.full.html#ref-list-1

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