Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : January 4, 2023 11:00 AM IST
We know that the novel coronavirus affects different people differently. Some people infected with COVID-19 are symptomatic and there are groups who get sicker than others. The high-risk groups include people with chronic illnesses and those with weakened immune system. COVID-19 infections can be dangerous for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that can affect the central vision, as well. Caused by damage to the macula (a part of the retina), AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among older adults.
Growing evidence suggests that AMD a risk factor for increased risk for COVID-19 infection, severe complications due to the disease, including respiratory failure and death. Lending credence to previous findings, a study by researchers from the Boston University suggested that "this increased risk may have a genetic basis."
The BU research team identified a novel association between AMD and COVID-19 with variants in a gene that encodes a platelet derived growth factor (PDGF). This growth factor helps in the formation of new blood vessels, and it is also associated with abnormal blood vessel changes that occur in age-related macular degeneration.
As per the researchers, the association between age-related macular degeneration and more severe COVID-19 outcomes appears to be due to genetic predisposition to dysfunction involving complement proteins and a higher level of PDGF in blood serum. These findings were reported in the online Journal of Clinical Medicine.
The BU researchers believe that lowering PDGFB gene activity and PDGF concentration in blood may help reduce the severity of COVID-19, particularly among older patients.
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