Refractive error and smoking habits in exudative age-related macular degeneration in a hospital-based setting.
OBJECTIVE
To assess and compare refractive error and smoking habits in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a clinical setting.


METHODS
The clinical comparative study included 379 patients (379 eyes) who underwent intravitreal application of an anti-vascular growth factor drug for the treatment of exudative AMD, and 191 patients without exudative macular degeneration and who underwent surgery for age-related cataract. Smoking status was compared with an age-matched control group of the German population described in the census of 2003. The main outcome measures were refractive error, axial length, and data from a questionnaire on smoking habits.


RESULTS
The AMD group compared with the cataract group showed a significantly shorter axial length (23.31+/-0.75 vs 24.20+/-1.56 mm; P<0.001) and was significantly more hyperopic (0.65+/-2.14 vs -1.71+/-4.57 dioptres; P<0.001). After the exclusion of pseudophakic AMD patients and matching by age and gender, the difference of refractive error and axial length between both groups remained to be statistically significant (P<0.001). The AMD group and the matched population group did not vary significantly in smoking history (age group: 55-75 years, current smokers: 18.4% vs 16.8% (P=0.64); former smokers: 23.2% vs 24.9% (P=0.66); age group>75 years, current smokers: 6.3% vs 6.4% (P=0.97); former smokers: 19.7% vs 22.8% (P=0.25)).


CONCLUSIONS
In our setting, an association was found between short axial length and AMD. We were not able to confirm the previously reported link between smoking and AMD.
Tao
Y
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim of the Ruprecht-Karls-University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Jonas
J B
JB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors