AMD linked to increased incidence of death from stroke, cardiovascular events

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may be a useful indicator for predicting death from stroke or cardiovascular disease, according to a study published online ahead of print by the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Jennifer S. Tan at the University of Sydney, Australia and team assessed 3654 subjects (age ≥49 years), with follow-up at five (n=2335) and 10 (n=1952) years. Assessment included physical risk factors and medical history; causes of death were confirmed by the Australian National Death Index.

Early presentation of AMD was, after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, linked to a twofold increase in cardiovascular mortality over a 10-year period in subjects aged <75 years at baseline. Late presentation of AMD was, after adjusting for age and gender, associated with a five times increased incidence of cardiovascular mortality and a 10 times increased incidence of stroke mortality, again in subjects aged <75 years at baseline.

The researchers concluded that this association of AMD with mortality from stroke and cardiovascular events may have implications for intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies, which are also linked with an increased risk of stroke.