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


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
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 degrees 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.


METHODS
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.
Klein
Ronald
R
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53726-2336, USA. kleinr@epi.ophth.wisc.edu
Klein
Barbara E K
BE
Knudtson
Michael D
MD
Wong
Tien Yin
TY
Cotch
Mary Frances
MF
Liu
Kiang
K
Burke
Gregory
G
Saad
Mohammed F
MF
Jacobs
David R
DR
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011680:Pupil; D017678:Sex Distribution; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*