Association between AREDS/2 supplementation and structural and functional progression in macular telangiectasia type...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (MacTel) is a progressive retinal disease.
• The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS/2) formulation is a common nutritional supplement for eye health.
• The efficacy of AREDS/2 supplementation in MacTel is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between oral AREDS/2 supplementation and disease progression in MacTel patients.
• To evaluate the impact of AREDS/2 on structural and functional outcomes over 24 months.

Main Methods:

• Post hoc analysis of 208 participants from two 24-month Phase 3 clinical trials.
• Assessed 24-month change in ellipsoid zone (EZ) area loss as the primary outcome.
• Secondary outcomes included reading speed, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and retinal sensitivity.
• Used inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and multivariable regression for adjustment.

Main Results:

• AREDS/2 supplementation showed no significant difference in EZ area loss in the sham cohort (P = 0.258).
• In the treated cohort, initial association of AREDS/2 with greater EZ loss became non-significant after adjustment (P = 0.577).
• No significant differences in secondary functional metrics were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• Oral AREDS/2 supplementation was not associated with meaningful differences in structural or functional MacTel progression.
• Findings do not support routine AREDS/2 supplementation for slowing EZ area loss or preserving visual function in MacTel patients.