Statin intervention does not slow early-intermediate stage AMD progression

Emerging evidence supports a protective role of statins at preventing the progression of early-intermediate stage non-neovascular (dry) AMD. Clinical findings, however, remain equivocal as to the beneficial effects of statin use for the management of early-intermediate AMD.

Here, we conducted a retrospective review of 10 026 patient encounters seen over a 10-year period between January 2009 and December 2019 by the Department of Ophthalmology at Loyola University Chicago Medical Center.

Of the 10 026 patient encounters reviewed, 15.7% (1579 patients) had received a clinical diagnosis of early-intermediate stage (non-neovascular) AMD. Of those 1579 patients, the majority (68%) were reported to have at least one co-existing at-risk vascular comorbidity including the presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or coronary artery disease with two-thirds (66%) having received statin intervention. Regardless of vascular at-risk comorbidity, however, managing blood LDL cholesterol levels with statin intervention did not alter AMD progression in this patient population (HR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.73-1.28, p = 0.82).

Overall, these findings suggest that early-intermediate AMD patients presenting with a co-existing history of at-risk vascular comorbidities are not at increased risk for AMD progression.

These retrospective findings do not support the prophylactic use of statins to slow/prevent the progression of early-intermediate stage AMD.