Table II. CML and pentosidine markers in control and AMD plasma.

CML and pentosidine concentrations were determined by LC-MS and LC-fluorometry; protein was quantified by amino acid analysis. Determined mean concentrations of CML expressed in fmol of CML/nmol of Lys were: control, 33.8 ± 11.9; early/mid-stage AMD, 49.8 ± 19.8; advanced AMD, 54.6 ± 17.4; and all AMD, 52.3 ± 18.5. Determined mean concentrations of pentosidine expressed in fmol of pentosidine/nmol of Lys were: control, 1.2 ± 0.3; early/mid-stage AMD, 1.8 ± 0.5; advanced AMD, 2.2 ± 0.8; and all AMD, 2.0 ± 0.7. The OR reflects the AMD risk for donors exhibiting elevated levels of either CML or pentosidine markers relative to median control levels. The p values were determined using the Fisher exact test. Odds ratios, 95% CI, and p values are based on log-transformed CML and pentosidine concentrations.

	n	CML (pmol/mg protein)		CML elevated above control median
		Mean ± S.D.	Median (Q1, Q3)	Odds Ratio	95% CI	p value
Control	32	27.9 ± 10.0	26.7 (19.7, 34.7)	1	Reference
Early/mid-stage AMD	27	41.0 ± 16.1	39.6 (28.4, 57.3)	2.9	1.0, 8.6	0.068
Advanced AMD	31	44.8 ± 14.0	43.3 (35.5, 48.6)	30.0	3.6, 247.3	<0.0001
All AMD	58	43.0 ± 15.0	42.0 (34.7, 51.0)	6.3	2.3, 17.3	<0.0001

	n	Pentosidine (pmol/mg protein)		Pentosidine elevated above control median
		Mean ± S.D.	Median (Q1, Q3)	Odds Ratio	95% CI	p value
Control	32	1.00 ± 0.25	0.93 (0.84, 1.02)	1	Reference
Early/mid-stage AMD	27	1.51 ± 0.41	1.48 (1.22, 1.82)	8.0	2.0, 32.0	0.002
Advanced AMD	31	1.76 ± 0.59	1.71 (1.34, 1.99)	14.5	3.0, 71.2	<0.0001
All AMD	58	1.64 ± 0.53	1.59 (1.29, 1.92)	10.6	3.4, 33.5	<0.0001