ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SLEEP DISORDERS AND AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To evaluate the relationship between sleep disorders, including insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), personal chronotype, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The authors systematically reviewed articles in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science that provided information on AMD and sleep disorders, whether qualitative or quantitative. The authors systematically screened the abstracts of potentially eligible studies and subsequently assessed the full-text reports of those deemed relevant in detail. The study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Twenty-two studies were included in their final review. Obstructive sleep apnea was associated with a higher risk of AMD, based on seven studies (hazard ratio 1.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.79 P < 0.001; I 2 = 96%). The analysis showed a statistically significant association between the morning person chronotype and an increased odds of AMD (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.10-1.30; P < 0.001; I 2 = 0%). The authors found little to no association between sleep duration (SD) and insomnia.

Their meta-analyses, although based on a limited number of studies, indicate that sleep disorders, particularly OSA, are associated with increased odds of developing AMD. However, further research is needed to understand how SD affects disease progression and to determine the benefits of treating sleep disorders for AMD.