Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in 4 racial/ethnic groups in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis

R Klein, BEK Klein, MD Knudtson, TY Wong, MF Cotch… - Ophthalmology, 2006 - Elsevier
R Klein, BEK Klein, MD Knudtson, TY Wong, MF Cotch, K Liu, G Burke, MF Saad…
Ophthalmology, 2006Elsevier
OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 4
racial/ethnic groups (white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese) that participated in the second
examination of the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). DESIGN: Prospective
cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Six thousand one hundred seventy-six 45-to 85-year-old
subjects selected from 6 United States communities. METHODS: Fundus images were taken
using a 45° digital camera through dark-adapted pupils and were graded for drusen size …
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in 4 racial/ethnic groups (white, black, Hispanic, and Chinese) that participated in the second examination of the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
DESIGN
Prospective cohort study.
PARTICIPANTS
Six thousand one hundred seventy-six 45- to 85-year-old subjects selected from 6 United States communities.
METHODS
Fundus images were taken using a 45° digital camera through dark-adapted pupils and were graded for drusen size, type, area, increased retinal pigment, retinal pigment epithelial depigmentation, neovascular lesions, and geographic atrophy using the modified Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Age-related macular degeneration.
RESULTS
Prevalences of AMD were 2.4% (black), 4.2% (Hispanic), 4.6% (Chinese), to 5.4% (white) (P<0.001 for any differences among groups). The highest prevalence of any AMD occurred in those 75 to 84 years old, varying from 7.4% in blacks to 15.8% in whites and Chinese (P = 0.03). Estimated prevalences of late AMD were 0.3% (black), 0.2% (Hispanic), 0.6% (white), and 1.0% (Chinese). These differences were marginally significant (age and gender adjusted, P = 0.08). The frequency of exudative AMD was highest in Chinese (age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio, 4.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–14.27) compared with whites. Differences in age, gender, pupil size, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking history, diabetes, and hypertension status did not explain the variability among the 4 racial/ethnic groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Low prevalences of AMD were found in the MESA cohort in all groups. A lower prevalence of AMD was found in blacks compared with whites. The higher prevalence of exudative AMD in Chinese needs further study.
Elsevier