Is early age-related macular degeneration related to carotid artery stiffness? The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Br J Ophthalmol. 2007 Apr;91(4):430-3. doi: 10.1136/bjo.2006.106054. Epub 2006 Oct 11.

Abstract

Background/purpose: Atherosclerosis and vascular stiffness have been implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The association of carotid artery stiffness, a measure of arterial elasticity reflecting early atherosclerosis, with early AMD, was examined in this study.

Methods: A population-based, cross-sectional study of 9954 middle-aged people (age range 51-72 years). The presence of AMD signs was determined from fundus photographs according to the Wisconsin grading protocol. Carotid arterial stiffness was measured from high-resolution ultrasonic echo tracking of the left common carotid artery, and was defined as an adjusted arterial diameter change (AADCmu). A smaller AADC reflects greater carotid artery stiffness. The associations of pulse pressure and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) with early AMD signs were also analysed.

Results: In the study population, 454 (4.6%) had early AMD. The mean (SD) AADC was 403 (127) mu. After adjusting for age, sex, race/centre, education, cigarette smoking, fasting glucose, lipid profile and inflammatory markers, a smaller AADC was found to be not associated with early AMD (odds ratio 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.71 to 1.25) or its component lesions. Other measures of arterial stiffness (pulse pressure) and atherosclerosis (carotid IMT) were also not associated with early AMD.

Conclusions: Carotid artery stiffness was not associated with signs of early AMD in this middle-aged population. These data provide no evidence of a link between age-related elastoid changes and early atherosclerotic processes in the carotid arteries and early AMD.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Atherosclerosis / complications*
  • Atherosclerosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Blood Pressure
  • Carotid Artery, Common / diagnostic imaging
  • Carotid Artery, Common / physiopathology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Elasticity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Macular Degeneration / etiology
  • Macular Degeneration / physiopathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pulsatile Flow
  • Risk Factors
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Ultrasonography
  • Vascular Resistance