Description of Collaborative Activity: |
Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) is an NEI-funded multi-center randomized trial designed to assess the effects of oral supplementation of high doses of macular xanthophylls and/or omega-3 for the treatment of Age related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract. This will be accomplished by collecting and assessing the data on approximately 4,000 AREDS2 participants aged 50 to 85 years, who at the time of enrollment have either: 1) bilateral large drusen or 2) large drusen in one eye and advanced AMD in the fellow eye. The CDC serves as the AREDS2 Central Laboratory for the Nutritional Biochemistry Substudy. Serum and plasma samples for all AREDS2 participants at participating Clinical Centers are sent to the Central Laboratory for measurement of concentrations of vitamins A and E (alpha - & gamma - tocopherol), lutein, zeaxanthin, α - and β - carotene, β - cryptoxanthin, lycopene (trans - and total), selected fatty acids (including DHA and EPA), lipids (including cholesterol and triglycerides), zinc and copper. |