Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30535121›Full record

ArticleHuman molecular genetics2019

Genome-wide association analyses identify 139 loci associated with macular thickness in the UK Biobank cohort.

X Raymond Gao, Hua Huang, Heejin Kim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Human molecular genetics, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
62citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
8.7field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

62 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 97 citations in OpenAlex.

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  11. Genetic analysis of imaging-derived phenotypes.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2026
    Review
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2 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

X Raymond GaoDepartments of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Biomedical Informatics, Division of Human Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Hua HuangDepartments of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Biomedical Informatics, Division of Human Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Heejin KimDepartments of Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Biomedical Informatics, Division of Human Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
The Ohio State University · US

Funding

Translational Core for Therapeutic and Diagnostic DevelopmentP30EY001792 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · PI AAKALU, VINAY · 1985 to 2025
$14.8M
Mexican American Glaucoma Genetic Study (MAGGS)R01EY022651 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · PI GAO, XIAOYI RAYMOND · 2012 to 2016
$4.2M
Genetic Basis of Age-at-Onset of Alzheimer DiseaseRF1AG060472 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI GAO, XIAOYI RAYMOND, LI, YI-JU · 2018 to 2018
$3.6M
Discovery Approach to Ocular HypertensionR01EY027315 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI FINI, M ELIZABETH, GAO, XIAOYI RAYMOND · 2017 to 2020
$2.4M
Medical Research Council MC_PC_17228Medical Research Council MC_QA137853NEI NIH HHS P30 EY001792NEI NIH HHS R01 EY022651NEI NIH HHS R01 EY027315NIA NIH HHS RF1 AG060472
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The macula, located near the center of the retina in the human eye, is responsible for providing critical functions, such as central, sharp vision. Structural changes in the macula are associated with many ocular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma. Although macular thickness is a highly heritable trait, there are no prior reported genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of it. Here we describe the first GWAS of macular thickness, which was measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography using 68 423 participants from the UK Biobank cohort. We identified 139 genetic loci associated with macular thickness at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). The most significant loci were LINC00461 (P = 5.1 × 10-120), TSPAN10 (P = 1.2 × 10-118), RDH5 (P = 9.2 × 10-105) and SLC6A20 (P = 1.4 × 10-71). Results from gene expression demonstrated that these genes are highly expressed in the retina. Other hits included many previously reported AMD genes, such as NPLOC4 (P = 1.7 × 10-103), RAD51B (P = 9.1 × 10-14) and SLC16A8 (P = 1.7 × 10-8), further providing functional significance of the identified loci. Through cross-phenotype analysis, these genetic loci also exhibited pleiotropic effects with myopia, neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease), cancer (e.g. breast, ovarian and lung cancers) and metabolic traits (e.g. body mass index, waist circumference and type 2 diabetes). Our findings provide the first insight into the genetic architecture of macular thickness and may further elucidate the pathogenesis of related ocular diseases, such as AMD.

Indexed as

AgedBiological Specimen BanksCase-Control StudiesCohort StudiesFemaleGenetic LociGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyGlaucomaHumansMacula LuteaMacular DegenerationMaleMiddle AgedMyopiaPhenotype

Identifiers

PMID30535121
PMCPMC6423416
OpenAlexW2904741716

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.