[Monocyte telomere length as a novel biomarker of macular atrophy and response to anti-VEGF therapy in age-related macular degeneration].

UNLABELLED: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly. Monocyte telomere length is proposed as a marker of cellular senescence in this condition.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the association between monocyte telomere length and retinal parameters in different forms of AMD, as well as in patients receiving antiangiogenic therapy.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Monocyte telomere length was measured in 84 patients (mean age 79±9 years) divided into four groups: non-exudative AMD with geographic atrophy (neAMD-GA), neovascular AMD (nAMD) with macular atrophy (nAMD-MA), nAMD without MA, and controls. Monocytes were isolated using immunomagnetic separation, and telomere length was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Retinal parameters were assessed via optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macular region.

RESULTS

Significant telomere shortening was observed in AMD compared to the controls (p<0.05). In the nAMD-MA group, telomere length correlated positively with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after treatment (rs=0.661; p=0.0014) and the type of atrophy (p<0.0001); shorter telomeres were associated with greater BCVA decline after therapy (rs=-0.452; p=0.0419). In nAMD without MA, telomere length correlated with reduced height of neuroepithelial detachment (NED) under anti-VEGF treatment (rs=0.50; p=0.0252). No significant associations were found in the neAMD-GA and control groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight monocyte telomere length as a potential biomarker for predicting macular atrophy progression and treatment outcomes in AMD. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and to explore sex/ethnic disparities in telomere length in this disease.