Risk Factors and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Mediterranean-Basin Population: The PAMDI (Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Italy) Study--Report 2

• Published in: Ophthalmic research Vol. 55; no. 3; p. 111
• Main Authors: Piermarocchi, Stefano, Tognetto, Daniele, Piermarocchi, Rita, Masetto, Morena, Monterosso, Gianluca, Segato, Tatiana, Cavarzeran, Fabiano, Turrini, Aida, Peto, Tunde
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Lutein - administration & dosage; Macular Degeneration - epidemiology; Macular Degeneration - etiology; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence; Retinal Drusen - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Smoking - adverse effects; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 1423-0259
• DOI: 10.1159/000441795

To investigate the association of diet and other modifiable risk factors with the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) in rural and urban communities of a Mediterranean population in the northeast of Italy. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted among subjects aged over 60 years. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to assess the consumption of different food categories, i.e., protective (P), risky (R), lutein-rich (L) and neutral (N). Smoking habit and alcohol intake were also examined. Macular pigment was measured by Raman spectroscopy. P food intake reduced the risk of large drusen (ARM2; OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89-0.96) within the rural community. In this sub-group, R foods resulted in a slight association with large drusen, though the R/P food ratio was highly correlated with ARM2 (OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.12-1.31). Raman measures showed an age-dependent decrease but did not correlate with lutein intake. Smoking habit showed a positive association with ARM2 among women (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.54-3.75), whereas alcohol consumption resulted in protective odds (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.60-0.86). FFQ analysis confirmed the role of P and R foods and the benefit of a Mediterranean diet in ARMD. Moderate alcohol consumption showed a beneficial effect, whereas the deleterious role of a smoking habit was more evident in females.