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Study: Current, prolonged smoking associated with AMD progression
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People who are currently smoking or have a large number of pack-years smoked are at an increased risk for age-related macular degeneration progression, according to a study recently published in Ophthalmology.
Myers and colleagues conducted a longitudinal population-based study of 4,439 participants in the Beaver Dam Eye Study.
To determine the progression and prevalence of AMD over a 20-year period as well as the interaction between smoking and CFH and ARMS2 genotypes, researchers analyzed retinal photographs and utilized multistate models, the Taqman assay (Applied Biosystems) and the Illumina array.
Results showed that the incidence of late AMD was 4.5% and early AMD was 24.4%.
"Current smoking was associated with an increased risk of transitioning from minimal to moderate early AMD, and a greater number of pack-years smoked was associated with an increased risk of transitioning from no AMD to minimal early AMD and from severe early to late AMD," the researchers reported. "Current smoking and a greater number of pack-years smoked were associated with an increased risk of death in all models."
Additionally, researchers reported that there was no significant association between current smokers or pack-years smoked and CFH or ARMS2 genotype.
The researchers noted that, as smoking is a modifiable behavior, the results carried significant health care consequences.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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