title: Prevalence and Incidence of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration in South Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and incidence of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in South Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide population-based retrospective study using data from the Korean national health claims database from 2008 through 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Entire South Korean population 40 years of age or older (n = 22,376,510).
  
  
  METHODS
  We accessed the national health claims database to identify exudative AMD patients using the registration program database for rare intractable diseases, which included ophthalmologist-confirmed exudative AMD, for copayment reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence and incidence rates of exudative AMD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 5-year study period, 81 513 patients had exudative AMD (48.2% men) and were included in the prevalence estimates. The prevalence in the general population 40 years of age or older was 36.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.18-36.68) per 10,000 people, that in men was 37.01 (95% CI, 36.65-37.38) per 10,000 people, and that in women was 35.90 (95% CI, 35.56-36.24) per 10,000 people. After excluding prevalent cases during the initial 2-year washout period, 20,196 cases were identified with incident exudative AMD during the final 3-year study period (2010-2012). The incidence in the general population 40 years of age or older was 3.02 (95% CI, 2.98-3.06) per 10,000 person-years, that in men was 3.76 (95% CI, 3.69-3.83) per 10,000 person-years, and that in women was 2.34 (95% CI, 2.29-2.39) per 10,000 person-years. The prevalence and incidence increased with advancing age and peaked at approximately 80 years of age. Both the prevalence and incidence were higher in men than in women in all age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These detailed estimates of the nationwide, population-based prevalence and incidence of exudative AMD in an Asian population may help to understand the disease pathophysiology and to plan accordingly within the healthcare system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-eun
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Collaborating Center, Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: likei1@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Nam-Kyong
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sejoon1@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Se Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D058471:Subretinal Fluid; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*