Seven-Year Incidence and Associated Risk Factors of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in an Elderly Chinese Population - The Shihpai Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose: : To assess the 7-year cumulative incidence (CI) and associated risk factors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in an elderly Chinese population in Taiwan.

Methods: : In 2006, the 1361 elder (≥ 65years) participants of the 1999 Shihpai eye survey were invited to return for a second comprehensive ocular examination which included digital fundus color photographs by digital fundus camera (CF-60UD; Cannon) after pupil dilatation.

Results: : Fundus photographs were available for 405 (49.2% in the remaining 824 cohort) participants. Of the 401 subjects with gradable photographs, the 7-year CI of early and late AMD was 7.9% and 1.7%, respectively. Age was the most significant factor for any AMD progression. Age of 80 and older at baseline had 11.9 fold (95% CI: 3.06-46.24, p<0.0001) of acquiring any AMD than age 65-69 at baseline. Current and past smoker in 1999 had trends of acquiring incident AMD (adjusted OR=1.48 and 1.09, respectively) although the results are not significant (p=0.435, 0.869, respectively).

Conclusions: : The annual CI of late AMD is comparable to the results of Japanese and white people from other regions in the developed countries. This 7-year incidence study indicated a significant public health problem of AMD in our rapid aging society in the near future.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • aging