Macular pigment spatial profiles in South Asian and white subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Variability in central macular pigment optical density (MPOD) has been reported among healthy individuals. These variations seem to be related to risk factors of AMD, such as female sex, smoking, and ethnicity. This study investigates variations in the spatial profiles of MPOD among ethnicities.


METHODS
Using heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP), MPOD was measured at seven retinal locations in 54 healthy, young South Asian and 19 white subjects of similar age. Macular pigment spatial profiles were classified as either typical exponential, atypical ring-like, or atypical central dip.


RESULTS
Central MPOD was significantly greater in South Asian (0.56 ± 0.17) compared with white subjects (0.45 ± 0.18; P = 0.015). Integrated MPOD up to 1.8° (i.e., average MPOD [MPODav(0-1.8)]) was also significantly increased in South Asian (0.34 ± 0.09) compared to white subjects (0.27 ± 0.10; P = 0.003). Average MPOD(0-1.8) was significantly increased in all subjects presenting a ring-like profile (0.35 ± 0.08) or central dip profile (0.39 ± 0.09), compared with typical exponential profiles (0.28 ± 0.09; P < 0.0005). We found a statistically significant association between ethnicity and spatial profile type (P = 0.008), whereby an exponential profile was present in 79% of white compared with 41% of the South Asian subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Central MPOD, MPODav(0-1.8), and the prevalence of atypical spatial profiles were significantly increased in South Asian compared with white subjects. Atypical profiles resulted in increased integrated MPOD up to 1.8°, and may therefore offer enhanced macular protection from harmful blue light.
Applied Vision Research Centre, The Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Vision Sciences, City University London, Northampton Square, London, United Kingdom.
Byki
B
Huntjens
Tanveer Saida
TS
Asaria
Sheena
S
Dhanani
Evgenia
E
Konstantakopoulou
Irene
I
Ctori
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010783:Photometry / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
D012168:Retinal Pigments
ethnicity; heterochromatic flicker photometry; macular pigment optical density; macular pigment spatial profiles