Artikel
Serum levels of macular carotenoids in relation to age-related maculopathy (ARM): results of the Muenster Age and Retina Study (MARS)
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Autoren
Veröffentlicht: | 22. September 2004 |
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Gliederung
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Objective
It has been suggested that macular carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, may protect against age-related maculopathy (ARM). We evaluated the association between blood concentrations of macular carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin) and age-related maculopathy.
Methods
The Muenster Age and Retina Study (MARS) is a prospective study which investigates factors associated with the progression of ARM. At baseline, about 1,060 patients underwent physical and ophthalmological examination and a detailed interview. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis. The ARM status was assessed by standardized grading of digital fundus photographs. The association between serum concentrations of the macular carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, and the prevalence of ARM was assessed univariately and adjusted for cofactors by multiple logistic regression.
Results
After exclusion of patients with lutein or zeaxanthin supplementation (n=143), we included 312 male and 456 female participants in the analysis (mean age 70.9±5.5 years, 59.4% female). 23.6% had a normal bilateral fundus, 48.0% showed signs of early ARM (uni- or bilateral) and 28.4% of late ARM (in at least one eye). No association was observed between serum levels of lutein or zeaxanthin and the presence of ARM. The odds ratios (OR) for the highest vs. lowest quartile were 0.80 (95%-CI, 0.50-1.28) for lutein and 0.86 (95%-CI, 0.53-1.40) for zeaxanthin. After control for age, gender, smoking and dyslipidemia, the odds ratios for lutein (0.92; 95%-CI, 0.53-1.60) and zeaxanthin (0.92; 95%-CI, 0.53-1.61) remained essentially unchanged.
Conclusions
In this baseline assessment of a large cohort study, no relation was found between serum concentrations of the macular carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, and the prevalence of age-related maculopathy (ARM).