Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Chinese-American Adults: The Chinese American Eye Study (CHES)

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

To determine the age- and gender- specific prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in Chinese Americans, aged 50 years or more.

 

Methods

 

The Chinese-American Eye Study (CHES) is a population-based cross-sectional study of eligible Chinese-American participants living in Monterey Park, California. The participants underwent comprehensive eye examination, including detailed retinal photography of both eyes. Fundus photographs were graded for drusen, retinal pigmentation abnormalities, and evaluated for AMD using a modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading Scale. Main outcome measures were prevalence of early and advanced AMD, drusen, geographic atrophy and exudative AMD.

 

Results

 

Of the 4,582 participants 4,172 participants (91%) had at least one gradable fundus photograph. The mean age of the participants was 61.2 years (± 8.8). Prevalence of early AMD increased from 5.9 % in those 50-59 years of age to 18.6% in those 80 years of age or older; retinal pigment abnormalities from 4.1% to 7.2%, large drusen (> 125um) from 9.8% to 32.4%, soft drusen from 27.6% to 58.6%, and soft indistinct drusen from 3.7% to 15.2%. Late AMD prevalence was 0.2% in those 50-59 years old and increasing to 1.0% in participants 80 years or older. Males had a higher prevalence of early AMD (10.2% vs 5.7%; p <0.001) and advanced AMD (0.7% vs 0.2%; p=0.02). Of 14 detected cases of late AMD, 12 were exudative AMD and 2 were cases of geographic atrophy

 

Conclusions

 

Chinese Americans in Los Angeles have a higher prevalence of early AMD, advanced AMD, and large drusen compared to previous studies in urban/rural Beijing and rural Handan. Compared to a study of urban-dwelling participants in Shihpai, Taiwan, Chinese-Americans have a comparable prevalence.

 

Keywords: 463 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • 412 age-related macular degeneration