Age-related macular degeneration and mortality: the Beijing eye study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and mortality in a population-based setting.


METHODS
At baseline in 2001, the Beijing Eye Study examined 4,378 subjects for AMD with a detected frequency of 110/4,378 (2.5%) subjects for early AMD and of 12/4,378 (0.3%) subjects for late AMD. In 2006, all study participants were re-invited for a follow-up examination.


RESULTS
Out of the 4,378 subjects, 3,218 (73.5%) returned for a follow-up examination while 138 (3.2%) were dead and 1,022 (23.3%) did not agree to be re-examined or had moved away. Early AMD and late AMD were not significantly associated with mortality (p = 0.40 and 0.33, respectively), neither in univariate analysis nor in multivariate analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
AMD may not be associated with an increased mortality in adult Chinese.
Xu
Liang
L
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. xuliang5918@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Yi Bin
YB
Wang
Ya Xing
YX
Jonas
Jost B
JB
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000401:mortality*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors