Association between reproductive and hormonal factors and age-related maculopathy in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The relationships between reproductive risk factors, including use of hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives and severity of age-related maculopathy (ARM) among postmenopausal women were evaluated. We hypothesized that exposure to endogenous or exogenous estrogens would be associated with a reduced risk of advanced ARM.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The 394 subjects were postmenopausal women with ARM. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the effects of several reproductive factors across two groups: 193 subjects with nonadvanced ARM and 201 subjects with advanced ARM.


RESULTS
Women with ARM who had used postmenopausal estrogen therapy in the past had significantly lower odds of advanced ARM than nonusers, after controlling for other known and potential risk factors (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30 to 0.98). Older age at menarche was associated with increased odds of advanced ARM (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.35).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that exposure to exogenous estrogens may have a beneficial effect of reducing the risk of advanced types of ARM in postmenopausal women with ARM. Few therapeutic or preventive measures currently exist for ARM; therefore, these results deserve further evaluation.
Snow
Kristin K
KK
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Epidemiology Unit, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
Cote
Jennifer
J
Yang
Weining
W
Davis
Nancy J
NJ
Seddon
Johanna M
JM
D000368:Aged; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017698:Postmenopause; D012042:Registries; D017584:Reproductive History; D012307:Risk Factors
D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal