Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Its Risk Factors in North Africans Living in Algeria and Italy

To determine the risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Algerians, and compare these data with those on North Africans living in Italy.

All patients over 55 years of age consulting one of the 23 involved Algerian ophthalmologists were invited to participate, and 1,183 patients were included. Data collection was standardized based on the Simplified Théa Risk Assessment Scale (STARS) questionnaire. A similar study was conducted in North Africans living in Italy (n = 1,011). Patients with only soft drusen and/or pigmentary abnormalities were classified as early AMD, and patients with geographic atrophy and/or neovascular AMD were classified as late AMD.

In the final multivariate model, risk for early and/or late AMD was significantly increased with older age, family history of AMD, Black ethnicity, atherosclerosis, beer consumption, high fruit consumption, cataract surgery, myopia, and hyperopia. High consumption of green vegetables was associated with lower risk for both early and late AMD. In comparison with North Africans from Italy, Algerians generally had a healthier profile (younger, less obesity, smoking, and cardiovascular diseases, and higher consumption of fruits and vegetables) and a lower risk for AMD.

This study documents risk factors for AMD in North-African populations for the first time.