Ongoing
Objective: Nutritional supplements have an augmentative effect on the outcomes of standard treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) and Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (NAMD).
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Randomized, Double-blind Study
Subjects: Subjects with age-related macular degeneration
Intervention:
Drug — Neutral pills with no medicinal effect
Dietary Supplement — Inosine; Tocopherols, Tocotrienol, CoQ10 combination capsule; Niacinamide SR; Viatmin C; N-acetyl Cysteine; Complete Multivitamin with all minerals
Drug: Inosine; Tocopherol, Tocotrienol, CoQ10 combination capsule; Niacinamide; Vitamin C; N-acetyl Cysteine; Complete Multivitamin with all minerals; Minocycline
Primary Outcome: Anatomic and visual outcomes
Secondary Outcome: 1) Effect on HbA1C [ Time Frame: Monthly ]
2) Effect on Blood pressure [ Time Frame: Monthly ]
3) Effect on serum uric acid [ Time Frame: Monthly ]
Methodology: It has been shown that in chronic diseases, oxidative stress results from Nitric acid reacting with oxygen to form toxins that damage both somatic and mitochondrial DNA. The potential for protecting the DNA and promoting repair by using nutritional supplements will be tested by augmenting standard treatments for DME and NAMD with such supplements. The patients will be randomized to treatment group and placebo group and followed up for a year in a double masked fashion. Anatomic and visual outcomes, as well as side effects will be assessed and analyzed. If the results are promising, this pilot study can be used to design alternative (cheaper, better and longer lasting) treatments for DME, NAMD and perhaps other chronic illnesses.