Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the 4-year incidence of early (defined by drusen size and type and retinal pigmentary abnormalities) and advanced AMD (defined by geographic atrophy and exudative AMD) in a population-based sample of Latinos.
Methods: :
Data for this analysis is derived from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), a population-based cohort study of eye disease in Latinos (primarily Mexican-Americans) aged 40 years and older. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examination including stereoscopic fundus photography using standard protocols at both baseline and 4-year follow-up. Photographs were graded for AMD characteristics using a modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Incidence of AMD was defined by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) severity scale. Test of trend was conducted to assess differences in incidence when stratified by age groups and chi-square test for differences in incidence between genders.
Results: :
The 4-year incidence of early AMD was 6.9% (95% CI, 6.0-7.9) [incidence for large drusen ≥125µm in diameter was 3.9% (95% CI, 3.4-4.4), soft distinct drusen was 10.4% (95% CI, 9.3-11.7), soft indistinct drusen was 2.0% (95% CI, 1.5-2.6), and pigmentary abnormalities was 2.1% (95% CI, 1.6-2.7)]. The 4-year incidence of advanced AMD was 0.2% (95% CI, 0.1-0.4) [incidence for geographic atrophy was 0.1% (95% CI, 0.0-0.3) and exudative AMD was 0.1% (95% CI, 0.0-0.3)]. Incidence increased with age for early AMD (from 4.0% in those 40-49 years of age to 15.8% in those over 70 years of age, p<0.001) and advanced AMD (from 0.2% in those 60-69 years of age to 6.3% in those over 70 years of age, p<0.001). There were no cases of incident advanced AMD in persons younger than 60 years of age. When controlling for age, there was no difference in incidence by gender.
Conclusions: :
Data from this study described the low incidence of advanced AMD development in the Latino population. The reasons for lower age-specific incidence in Latinos compared to non-Hispanic Whites requires further epidemiological study.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence