Serum levels of macular carotenoids in relation to age-related maculopathy: the Muenster Aging and Retina Study (MARS).
BACKGROUND
It has been hypothesized that the macular carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect against age-related maculopathy. We evaluated the association between blood concentrations of lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) and age-related maculopathy (ARM) in a case-control analysis of the baseline examination of the Muenster Ageing and Retina Study (MARS).


METHODS
Of the 1060 participants aged 59-82 years at baseline, 910 (85.9%) with bilateral gradable fundus photographs and complete data for the carotenoids and potential confounders were included. The Rotterdam classification system was used for definition of ARM stages. Multivariate linear regression methods were applied to model the relationship between macular carotenoids and the presence of ARM.


RESULTS
The participants' mean age was 70.9+5.5 years, 59.9% were female, 20.8% had a normal bilateral fundus, and 48.5% showed signs of early ARM (uni- or bilateral) and 30.7% of late ARM (in at least one eye). In study participants with L and/or Z supplementation (15.6%), the median serum levels for L (Z) were approximately 2 times (1.5 times) higher than in subjects with no supplementation. After exclusion of subjects with L and/or Z supplementation, no statistically significant bivariate relationship was observed between the serum levels of L or Z and the presence of ARM. Multivariate regression models, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, body-mass index, and HDL-cholesterol blood levels, produced adjusted mean serum levels of 0.124, 0.112, and 0.131 microg/ml for L and 0.019, 0.020, and 0.022 microg/ml for Z in subjects with normal fundus, early ARM, and late ARM, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In this large study, the serum concentrations of L and Z were not related to the prevalence of ARM. However, the large proportion of study participants taking L and/or Z supplementation may have affected these results.
Dasch
Burkhard
B
Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Muenster, Domagkstrasse 3, 48149, Muenster, Germany.
Fuhs
Andrea
A
Schmidt
Joachim
J
Behrens
Thomas
T
Meister
Astrid
A
Wellmann
Juergen
J
Fobker
Manfred
M
Pauleikhoff
Daniel
D
Hense
Hans-Werner
HW
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D015415:Biomarkers; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D019207:beta Carotene; D014975:Lutein