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Associations between chronic kidney disease and age-related macular degeneration

Dorothea Nitsch1, Jennifer Evans, Paul J Roderick

  • 1Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK. Dorothea.Nitsch@lshtm.ac.uk

Ophthalmic Epidemiology
|May 14, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Proteinuria, a marker of kidney disease, is linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in men but not women. This suggests sex-specific risk factors for AMD in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Nephrology
  • Geriatrics

Background:

  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) share cardiovascular risk factors and complement pathway alterations.
  • Limited research exists on the association between AMD and CKD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between markers of renal impairment and AMD in an older population.
  • To explore potential sex differences in the relationship between renal function and AMD.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cross-sectional study compared individuals aged 75+ with AMD (n=516) to those with normal vision (n=2755).
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria were assessed using established formulas and dipstick tests.
  • Statistical analyses adjusted for various confounding factors, including sex.

Main Results:

  • Proteinuria showed a positive association with AMD in men (OR 2.06) but not in women (OR 0.62) after adjustments.
  • Reduced eGFR (<45 ml/min/1.73 m²) was associated with AMD in men, but this link disappeared after accounting for proteinuria.
  • Significant interactions by sex were observed for both proteinuria and eGFR associations with AMD (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

  • Proteinuria may be a significant risk factor for AMD specifically in men.
  • The differing associations by sex suggest potential biological or measurement-related differences in how kidney function impacts AMD.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms and confirm findings, especially regarding proteinuria detection in women.
Abstract

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