The effect of zinc supplementation on patients with different level of complement catabolism at baseline.

<p>The patients with high serum complement catabolism had a steeper decline in C3d/C3 ratio during the administration of zinc sulphate (p<0.001).</p

The effect of zinc on the hemolytic activity of human serum and on the membrane attack complex (MAC) deposition on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Zinc sulphate inhibits the lysis of rabbit erythrocytes in a dose-dependent manner. (<b>B–C</b>) the amount of MAC deposited on RPE cells exposed to oxidative stress can be reduced in a dose dependent manner by zinc. *p<0.05 and ***p<0.001.</p

Flow diagram of patient inclusion.

<p>Flow diagram of patient inclusion.</p

Association between the stage of AMD and serum complement catabolism.

<p>Compared to the patients with intermediate AMD in one eye and late AMD in the other eye (CARMS stage 3∶4–5), the patients who had late AMD in both eyes (CARMS 4–5∶4–5) had significantly lower C3d/C3 levels (p = 0.006).</p><p>*p-value from one-way ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni correction.</p><p>Association between the stage of AMD and serum complement catabolism.</p

C5a concentration throughout the study period.

<p>The C5a levels decreased significantly during the three months of zinc supplementation and returned to baseline level within 2 months after the cessation of zinc supplementation.</p