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Age-related macular degeneration and incident cardiovascular disease: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Antonio B Fernandez1, Tien Y Wong, Ronald Klein

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, 593 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. antoinefernandezt@hotmail.com

Ophthalmology
|December 27, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) does not appear to increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) or cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. This study found no significant association between AMD and these conditions in a multi-ethnic cohort.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Cardiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss.
  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are major global health concerns.
  • The potential link between AMD and cardiovascular risk requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an independent risk indicator for coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
  • To analyze this association within a diverse, multi-ethnic population.
  • To control for other known cardiovascular risk factors.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based prospective cohort study design was employed.
  • The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) included 6233 participants aged 45-84 without prior CVD.
  • Retinal photographs assessed for AMD, with CHD and CVD events tracked over 8 years.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant difference in incident CHD or CVD was observed between participants with and without AMD.
  • Cox regression models, adjusted for CVD risk factors, showed no significant relationship between AMD and CHD/CVD events.
  • Subgroup analyses of early or late AMD also revealed no significant association with incident CHD/CVD.

Conclusions:

  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) was not associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) or cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
  • This finding holds true for individuals without a prior history of cardiovascular disease.
  • AMD is unlikely to be a predictive biomarker for future cardiovascular events.
Abstract

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