Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Primary Osteoarthritis Egyptian Patients

Both primary osteoarthritis (OA) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) cause disability in old people. This study aimed to detect the relation between primary osteoarthritis and age-related macular degeneration in a sample of geriatric Egyptian population.

This cross-sectional study included 222 primary OA patients. Medical history, musculoskeletal examination, body mass index (BMI) calculation, and ophthalmological examination, radiographs of anteroposterior view and weight-bearing position for both hips and both knees and posteroanterior view for hands, Kellgren and Lawrence grading score for radiological severity of OA, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus fluorescence angiography FFA for evaluation of the macula were done. AMD was classified into early, intermediate, and late. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0.

Forty-six OA patients had AMD [19 cases had early, 15 cases had intermediate and 12 cases with late (7 neovascular (NV) and 5 geographic atrophy (GA))]. There was a significant correlation between AMD stages and OA grading score. There were significant differences between OA patient with AMD and those without AMD regarding age, disease duration, disease severity, family history of OA, daily mild exercise and calcium, and vitamin D intake. Multivariable analysis revealed that older age, more severe OA, low exercise and less calcium and vitamin D intake were considered independent risk factors for AMD development in primary OA.

Primary OA patients are more liable to AMD due to common risk factors and related pathogenesis. Ophthalmological follow up of those patients is recommended.