Plasma markers of chronic low‐grade inflammation in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and neovascular age‐related macular degeneration

Purpose Ageing is the strongest predictor of neovascular age‐related macular degeneration ( AMD ), where neuroinflammation is known to play a major role. Less is known about polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy ( PCV ), which is an important differential diagnosis to neovascular AMD . Here, we report plasma markers of inflammation with age (inflammaging) in patients with PCV , patients with neovascular AMD and a healthy age‐matched control group. Methods We isolated plasma from fresh venous blood obtained from participants ( n  = 90) with either PCV , neovascular AMD , or healthy maculae. Interleukin( IL )‐1 β , IL ‐6, IL ‐8, IL ‐10 and tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 ( TNF ‐R2) were measured using U‐ PLEX Human Assays. Routine plasma C‐reactive protein ( CRP ) was measured using Dimension Vista 1500. Results Patients with PCV had plasma levels of IL ‐1 β , IL ‐6, IL ‐8, IL ‐10 and TNF ‐R2 similar to that in healthy controls. Patients with neovascular AMD had significantly higher plasma IL ‐1 β , IL ‐6 and IL ‐10 than healthy controls, whereas no significant differences were observed for plasma IL ‐8 and TNF ‐R2. Differences between plasma IL ‐1 β , IL ‐6 and IL ‐10 possessed a positive but weak ability in discriminating neovascular AMD from PCV . Both patients with PCV and patients with neovascular AMD had significantly higher levels of routine plasma CRP . Conclusion Patients with PCV differ from patients with neovascular AMD in terms of plasma inflammaging profile. Apart from increased CRP , no signs of inflammaging were observed in patients with PCV . In patients with neovascular AMD , we find a specific angiogenesis‐twisted inflammaging profile.