CRP and age-related macular degeneration: Within the AMD group, late-stage patients exhibited lower 25(OH)D levels than early-stage patients (22.53 ± 8.14 vs. 23.46 ± 6.36 ng/mL, t = 1.71, p= 0.019) and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (0.31 ± 0.19 vs. 0.17 ± 0.05 mg/L, t = 1.74, p= 0.015, Table 2), despite similar baseline characteristics.