skip to main content

experimental study at Cleveland Clinic

21 years ago

Hi... Does anyone have any experience and/or information concerning an experimental study being done at the Cleveland Clinic for the treatment of macular degeneration??? Thanks. ~abreeze

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

Pawprint
21 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
New Light on Blindness-Causing Disease
Cleveland Clinic researchers' breakthrough technique helps analysis of drusen, which leads to age-related macular degeneration.

A technique developed at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute and related protein analysis could provide the key that unlocks the mystery of age-related macular degeneration, a disease that affects millions and has no known cause or cure.

The Cleveland Clinic research was presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. The strategy combines a new technique that isolates drusen, the precursor of AMD, with mass spectrometric protemic analysis. Joe G. Hollyfield, Ph.D, and John W. Crabb, Ph.D., are leading the ongoing research. The Cleveland Clinic is the only site in the world using the new Drusen Isolation Method for Proteomic Analysis.

The researchers are part of a team recruited by Hilel Lewis, M.D., chairman of The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, to study ways to cure age-related macular degeneration.

"Age-related macular degeneration is a common disease with links to both genetic and environmental causes. We just don't know enough to understand it," Dr. Lewis said. "I believe that this technology and line of research will bring us closer to the cause of age-related macular degeneration."

The National Institutes of Health, Merck Inc., the Foundation Fighting Blindness and The Cleveland Clinic funded research for both programs.

Approximately 12 million people are affected by age-related macular degeneration, which damages central vision and is the leading cause of blindness in individuals age 55 and older. Ophthalmologists long have known there is a relationship between AMD and drusen, which are abnormal deposits that collect on the Bruch's membrane behind the retina. But until now, there hasn't been an effective procedure to obtain drusen for analysis so researchers can probe the molecular link between AMD and drusen.

"We developed a technique that allows us to obtain drusen from donor eye tissues by taking drusen off the membrane at the back of the eye," said Dr. Hollyfield, director of research at The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. The research was based on 55 donor eyes, some normal and some with AMD, which were provided by the National Disease Research Interchange and the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Scanning the Bruch's membrane at 20-to 40-diameter magnification, Dr. Hollyfield evaluated the membrane surface for drusen and then used a delicate watchmaker's forceps to dislodge the drusen. A single eye can provide up to 10 ug of protein for subsequent biochemical analysis.

The availability of isolated drusen created a virtual explosion of proteomic information, Dr. Crabb said.

"Before now, we knew of only approximately 20 proteins present in drusen. We have now identified more than 120 proteins from drusen and Bruch's membrane by protein mass spectrometric methods, and we're just getting started," said Dr. Crabb. He said the new strategy means he and other researchers can more effectively study the molecular mechanisms involved in drusen formation.

"This is the future. The next breakthrough in understanding AMD will come by protemic research," said Dr. Crabb. "Our preliminary results from the analysis of 23 different drusen preparations suggest that the proteins contain oxidative modifications that contribute to both drusen formation and Bruch's membrane thickening."

The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute is ranked one of the top eye care departments in the country, according to a recent survey published by U.S. News & World Report. More than 125,000 patients were treated at the Institute in 2001. The Institute has state-of-the-art eye clinics, operating rooms for eye surgery, and more than 20,000 square feet of laboratory and clinical space dedicated to research on age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal disease.

Here is a link that might be useful: New Light on Blindness-Causing Disease
abreeze
Original Author
21 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Hi pawprint... Thanks for the info. They have a wealth of info based there and very well done. My sister is being tested at Cleveland Clinic to see if she's eligible for experimental surgery in treating MD. If conditions are OK, she will be part of a study being conducted free of charge. Of course, there has to be a control group, so 1 out of 3 patients will be injected with a placebo (sp???). Seems like a high number of placebos... There are risks involved. That's why I was hoping to find someone with some experience with the process. ~abreeze
Related Discussions
Comfrey - The Facts
Q
Comments (52)
To clear up some misconceptions: First, comfrey does not have proven efficacy against tooth decay, either as a preventative or to reverse decay that's already underway. Safety as a mouth rinse is probably not a major concern apart from possible local irritation, if one is careful not to swallow any. Many responsible herbalists recommend against any internal use of comfrey because of the risk of pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicity, implicated in some cases of acute liver failure and a concern for possible carcinogenicity. Oral formulations are banned in most countries for this reason. Young children are especially susceptible to toxicity from comfrey (even a few days of taking comfrey internally can be fatal). Contrary to what's been stated, acute liver failure is not a significant consideration when it comes to use of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Tylenol (acetominophen, which can be hepatotoxic) is not an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like aspirin or Motrin. Tylenol is not an anti-inflammatory agent - it works by a different mechanism than NSAIDS to reduce pain and fever. Used in proper dosage and not combined with other things that can damage the liver (i.e alcohol) it is a generally safe as well as effective drug. The real problem is when people take too much, which may happen when they combine or otherwise overdose on over-the-counter cold meds. The big difference between Tylenol and comfrey is that Tylenol is a proven effective drug. Comfrey may have limited value in topical pain control (when applied for limited periods on unbroken skin), but in general the claims made for it have not been backed by quality studies (something to consider when weighing a decision whether to ingest it). You cannot count on drying to significantly reduce the harmful alkaloids. Unfortunately, you also can't count on comfrey sellers to be knowledgeable and upfront about the composition of their products in our current, largely unregulated supplement market. I rarely take acetominophen, but feel a lot more confident about its safety than I do comfrey. And based on what we've seen already, if Americans began to ingest comfrey as commonly as they do acetominophen, it's extremely likely that comfrey would quickly pass acetominophen as the leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S.
...See More
Mad Diary of Zone Busting in Zone 3 ...The End is a Long Way Away
Q
Comments (7)
Oh my. What is a passionate rose lover like you doing in that glacial hell hole? Reading about your endeavors has exhausted me and I haven't even lifted a shovel. I admire your grit and determination, but would love to see you rewarded with thousands of blooms on your rose bushes for all your hard work. I bet they could use engineers in zones 7 to 10!
...See More
Experimental vaccine for cancer
Q
Comments (3)
I am currently in a clinical study for cervical cancer (HPV). Glaxo-Smith Klein is the company sponsoring it. It's been ongoing for 3 years. The vaccine has been approved for women 26 yrs and under, and I'm in the older study. The vaccine or placebo was administered to us over a course, and now it is just follow-ups with questions and Paps test. I go every 6 months. I was at the gyn. yesterday for my paps and he said that Health Canada wants to extent the study by 3 years. Not enough evidence. I'm going to do it, but I'm saddened (as is the gyn) that they feel they don't have enough evidence when it's been approved for the younger women.
...See More
Why on earth do they do it this way?
Q
Comments (20)
Wow. My husband and I are extremely lucky to have the insurance that we do. We are both retired State employees. We both have Medicare Parts A (hospitalization) and B (medical), and we also have a Blue Cross PPO supplemental plan which includes prescription drug coverage so we don't need a separate Medicare Plan D (prescriptions). We both receive a monthly retirement pension from the State as well as Social Security retirement benefits. Our Medicare premiums are deducted from our SS payments. Our Medicare premiums include the Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) for Parts B and D because our income exceeds the maximum to pay only the regular Medicare premium. Our Retirement Health Benefit reimburses us in full for our Medicare & IRMAA premiums and also reimburses us in full for the monthly premium for the Blue Cross PPO supplemental policy. The reimbursements are included in our monthly retirement pension payments. (Well, the reimbursements for the Medicare & IRMAA premiums are included. They don't deduct anything for the supplemental policy because it's covered by the Retirement Health Benefit.) The supplemental policy covers the Medicare deductible, and it also pays the portion of the Medicare-approved amount for services that Medicare doesn't pay (the portion that the individual would normally have to pay). And if Medicare doesn't cover something (hearing aids, for example), the supplemental policy covers it. We will never hit the "donut hole" on prescription costs because the supplemental policy would pick up the costs (but neither of us currently takes enough meds to ever hit the donut hole). So, we pay no premiums, and we pay no deductibles or co-pays. For medications, we pay $5 (or less) for a one-time prescription, and $10 for a 90-day supply of a continuing medication (like my blood pressure medication. If a medication is only available as a brand-name drug but it is on the formulary, we would pay $40 for a 90-day supply. For dental insurance, we each pay a $12.91 per month premium, which is not reimbursed by the Retirement Health Benefit. We each have an annual deductible of $50, and the maximum payout per year is $2,000. We also both have vision insurance through our employment with the State, and it pays for new (gas permeable) contacts for me each year and new glasses for Hubs. It costs me $35 each year for the contacts (and I wear true bifocal contacts), and for $60 Hubs gets a new pair of prescription sunglasses and a new pair of "clear" prescription glasses each year.
...See More
Pawprint
21 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Wow, I hope she gets the study that works! I'm not familiar with the process but am very familiar with Cleveland Clinic. Used to work there. Excellent facility. Good luck for you and your sister!
abreeze
Original Author
21 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
They did the surgery...

Related Stories

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

BATHROOM DESIGN 20 Ways to Design an Asian-Style Bathroom

By Natasha Saroca

Want a bathroom that’s inviting and serene, with spa-like luxury? Be inspired by these Asian-style spaces, which offer all that and more

Sponsored

Whisler Home Improvement

9 Reviews

Franklin County's Committed Home Improvement Professionals