[Association between classic cardiovascular risk factors and age-related maculopathy (ARM). Results of the baseline examination of the Münster Aging and Retina Study (MARS)].
BACKGROUND
Epidemiological studies have reported inconsistent associations between cardiovascular risk factors and the occurrence of age-related maculopathy (ARM).


METHODS
In the baseline examination of the Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS), we assessed this potential relationship in 1060 subjects who underwent clinical and ophthalmologic examinations. The ARM status was graded according to international standardized classifications.


RESULTS
There were 974 eye pairs available for analysis. Smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and a history of myocardial infarction or stroke were found significantly more often in patients with ARM. There were no statistically significant multivariate associations between overweight, diabetes, or a history of myocardial infarction or stroke.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm previous epidemiological studies pointing to a potential role of atherosclerotic processes in the development of ARM.
Dasch
B
B
Institut für Epidemiologie und Sozialmedizin, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster.
Fuhs
A
A
Meister
A
A
Behrens
T
T
Krause
K
K
Pauleikhoff
D
D
Hense
H W
HW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic