Han X, Ong JS, Hewitt AW, et al. - A mendelian randomization study was performed to evaluate the effects of eight serum lipid biomarkers on age-related macular degeneration risk. Researchers conducted the two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to systematically assess the causal relationships between eight serum lipid biomarkers, consisting of apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein A [Lp(a)], triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C), and the risk of different age-related macular degeneration (AMD) stages and subtypes. Researchers obtained 64–407 genetic instruments for eight serum lipid biomarkers in 419 649 participants of European descent from the UK Biobank cohort. Genome-wide association studies were conducted for 12,711 advanced AMD cases [8544 choroidal neovascularization and 2656 geographic atrophy specific AMD subtypes] and 5336 intermediate AMD cases with 14 590 controls of European descent from the International AMD Genomics Consortium. The outcomes imply the role of lipid metabolism in drusen formation and especially in AMD development at the early and intermediate stages. Mechanistic studies are required to evaluate the usefulness of lipid pathways for therapeutic treatment in preventing AMD.