Abstract
Purpose::
To evaluate the association between systemic use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and aspirin and the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) population.
Methods::
For the present study only AREDS groups 3, 4 and 5 were included (the large drusen group, neovascular AMD and geographical atrophy groups respectively). We investigated the association of regular systemic use of NSAIDs or aspirin [defined as ≥5 days of the week for ≥3 months] with progression to advanced AMD as assessed from color stereoscopic fundus photographs. Advanced AMD was defined as the development of either neovascular AMD or central geographic atrophy (CGA). This analysis includes 799 of the 1134 subjects in AREDS group 3 and 330 of the 499 subjects in AREDS groups 4 & 5 for whom information on both antiinflammatory drug use and outcome variables were complete. For analysis purposes both eyes for subjects in group 3 and one eye for subjects in groups 4 and 5 were eligible. Following development of a model stucture that included important covariables, data were analyzed using logistic regression.
Results::
Mean follow-up was 11 years (median: 11, range: 7.2-12.5). In AREDS groups 3, 4 and 5, regular use of systemic antiinflammatory drugs was not significantly associated with progression to advanced AMD (OR= 1.12; 95% CI, 0.84-1.49, p=0.44) when controlled for risk factors that have been shown to be associated with AMD. Antiinflammatory drug use was not significantly associated with either development of CGA (OR=0.93; 95% CI, 0.68-1.27, p=0.63) or NV-AMD (OR=1.14; 95% CI, 0.84-1.54, p=0.40) when the two outcomes were analyzed separately.
Conclusions::
There was no significant association between regular systemic use of antiinflammatory drugs (aspirin or NSAIDs) and the likelihood of developing advanced AMD.
Clinical Trial::
www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00000145
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • inflammation • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment