Abstract
Purpose: :
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in Western countries. Increasing age, current cigarette smoking, previous cataract surgery, and a family history of AMD are strong risk factors associated with late AMD. Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, higher body mass index, cholesterol levels and diabetes show a much weaker association with AMD. In this study , we aim to examine the association between diabetic peripheral neuropathy with age-related macular degeneration in a multi-ethnic Asian population
Methods: :
Population-based, cross-sectional study of 413 diabetic subjects of Chinese, Malay and Indian ethnicity aged 24 to 95 years were included. Diabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose ≥7 mmol/L (≥ 126 mg/dL) or self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes or use of glucose-lowering medication. AMD was graded from retinal photographs according to the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Peripheral neuropathy was defined from neurothesiometer or monofilament sensory testing. Data on major cardiovascular risk factors and blood pressure were collected.
Results: :
33 (8% of 413 diabetic subjects) subjects were identified to have AMD. After controlling for age, gender and race, diabetic patients with PN were more likely to develop AMD (odds ratio 2.495, 95% CI: 1.049 - 5.936) as compared with the diabetic subjects without PN. This association remains consistent (odds ratio 2.675, 95% CI: 1.097 - 6.520) after further controlling for smoking, total cholesterol and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE).
Conclusions: :
Diabetic patients with PN are more likely to have AMD, after controlling for known AMD risk factors including smoking. Our study suggests that PN in diabetes may be a risk factor of AMD.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • diabetes