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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Yuji Nishiwaki, MD MSc DMSc¹, Susumu Ishida, MD DMSc², Yuriko Kikuchi, DMSc¹, Naoki Shimada, MD DMSc¹, Takamoto Uemura, MD DMSc³, and Toru Takebayashi¹. (1) Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan, 81-3-3353-1211, nisiwaki@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp, (2) Department of Opthalmology, Keio University, Shinanomachi 35, Shinjuku-ku, 160-8582, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan, (3) School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Kyorin University, 6-20-2, Shinkawa, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8611, Japan

<Purpose> Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most important cause of adult blindness in the Western countries and the number of AMD patients in Japan is considered to increase. However, the report on the prevalence of age related maculopathy (ARM) including AMD and the risk factors for ARM/AMD in Japan is limited. The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of ARM/AMD and the association with serum antioxidant levels in the community-dwelling elderly. <Methods> This is a cross-sectional study. The subjects consisted of 178 men and 270 women living in Kurabuchi, Japan, aged 65 years or older. The presence of ARM/AMD was based on the grading using colour digital fundus photographs. One experienced ophthalmologist examined all the photos under blind condition to the subjects' information. Levels of antioxidant vitamins (a,g-Tocopherol, b-Cryptoxanthin, a,b-Carotene, Lycopene and Lutein/Zeaxanthin) were measured from venous blood samples. <Results> ARM and AMD were detected in 3.4% and 1.7% of men, 12.6% and 1.5% of women. Lutein/Zeaxanthin showed a statistically significant association with AMD. The geometric means (SDs) of serum Lutein/Zeaxanthin level in AMD, ARM and normal subjects were 0.22(2.14), 0.47(1.85) and 0.43(1.82) mmol/L, respectively. Adjustment by age and sex did not change the result substantially. <Conclusions> Our study suggests that the prevalence of AMD was comparable between in men and in women and the prevalence of ARM was higher in women than in men in this study population. Our finding also supports the hypothesis that Lutein/Zeaxanthin may protect against AMD.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe the prevalence of age related maculopathy (ARM) including macular degeneration (AMD) in Japan and Western countries.
• List the possible risk factors for AMD.
• Discuss the association between levels of antioxidant vitamins and AMD.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Elderly

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered