Risk Factors for the Incidence of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) AREDS report no. 19
Received 9 July 2004; accepted 20 October 2004. published online 04 March 2005.
Purpose
To describe the association of demographic, behavioral, medical, and nonretinal ocular factors with the incidence of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and central geographic atrophy (CGA) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), a randomized trial of antioxidants and zinc supplementation prophylaxis for development of advanced AMD.
Design
Clinic-based prospective cohort study.
Participants
Of individuals with early or intermediate AMD at baseline with a median follow-up of 6.3 years, 788 were at risk of developing advanced AMD in one eye (the fellow eye had advanced AMD), and 2506 were at risk in both eyes.
Methods
The incidence of neovascular AMD and CGA was assessed from stereoscopic color fundus photographs taken at baseline and at annual visits beginning at year 2.
Main Outcome Measures
Neovascular AMD was defined as photocoagulation for choroidal neovascularization, or photographic documentation at the reading center of any of the following: nondrusenoid retinal pigment epithelial detachment, serous or hemorrhagic retinal detachment, hemorrhage under the retina or the retinal pigment epithelium, and subretinal fibrosis. Central geographic atrophy was defined as geographic atrophy involving the center of the macula.
Results
In multivariable models, in persons at risk of advanced AMD in both eyes, while controlling for age, gender, and AREDS treatment group, the following variables were statistically significantly associated with the incidence of neovascular AMD: race (odds ratio [OR], white vs. black, 6.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24–36.9) and larger amount smoked (OR, >10 vs. ≤10 pack-years [a pack-year is an average of 1 pack of cigarette smoked per day for a year], 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15–2.09). The following were statistically significantly associated with the incidence of CGA: less education (OR, high school graduate or less vs. college graduate, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.10–2.78), greater body mass index (BMI) (OR, obese vs. nonobese, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.25–2.65), larger amount smoked (OR, >10 pack-years vs. ≤10 pack-years, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.25–2.65), and antacid use (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09–0.91). In persons at risk of developing advanced AMD in one eye, the incidence of neovascular AMD was associated with diabetes (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.07–3.31), and the incidence of CGA was associated with use of antiinflammatory medications (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.08–0.59).
Conclusions
Results suggest that, among persons with early or intermediate AMD, smoking and BMI are modifiable factors associated with progression to advanced AMD, and suggest other associations (e.g., use of antacids and antiinflammatory medications) that warrant further study.
Correspondence to Roy C. Milton, PhD, The EMMES Corporation, 701 North Washington Street, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20850-1707
Manuscript no. 240543.
The study was supported by contracts from the National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
The writing team and the members of the AREDS Research Group have no relevant financial interest in the article.
Writing team: Traci E. Clemons, PhD (The EMMES Corporation, Rockville, Maryland), Roy C. Milton, PhD (The EMMES Corporation), Ronald Klein, MD (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin), Johanna M. Seddon, MD (Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts), Frederick L. Ferris III, MD (National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland).
Reprint requests to AREDS Coordinating Center, The EMMES Corporation, 701 North Washington Street, Suite 700, Rockville, MD 20850-1707. E-mail: aredspub@emmes.com.
⁎ A complete list of the AREDS Research Group is found in Ref. 52.
ABSTRACT