Journal List > J Korean Ophthalmol Soc > v.58(9) > 1010635

Baek and Lee: Female Hormone Factors Associated with Age-related Macular Degeneration in Menopausal Korean Women: KNHANES V

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether endogenous and exogenous female hormone exposures were associated with risks for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in postmenopausal women.

Methods

This study included 4,479 postmenopausal females aged 45 years and older who completed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) V. The participants were divided into 4 groups: subjects with AMD, subjects without AMD, subjects with early AMD, and subjects with late AMD. Variables associated with endogenous and exogenous female hormone exposures were analyzed.

Results

Among the 4,479 participants, 516 were found to have AMD and 3,963 were normal. There was no significant difference between the AMD and normal groups execpt for age in the risk analysis. Of the total 516 AMD participants, 488 had early AMD and 28 had late AMD. Women with AMD who had used oral contraceptives longer in the past had significantly higher odds of late AMD than early AMD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.013, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002–1.024). Increasing number of children was also associated with decreased odds of late AMD (OR = 0.672, 95% CI: 0.506-0.893).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that exposure to endogenous and exogenous female hormones may influence the risk of AMD progression.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Characteristics and comparison between with AMD and without AMD

jkos-58-1066-i001

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation or n (%).

AMD = age-related macular degeneration; OC = oral contraceptives; PMH = post menopausal hormones; BMI = body mass index; DM = diabetes mellitus.

*Reproductive years equal the years between menarche and menopause; Life time smoker included respondents who reported that they smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoker; Independent samples t-test; §Chi-square test.

Table 2

Characteristics and comparison between early AMD and late AMD

jkos-58-1066-i002

Values are presented as mean ± standard deviation or n (%).

AMD = age-related macular degeneration; OC = oral contraceptives; PMH = post menopausal hormones; BMI = body mass index; DM = diabetes mellitus.

*Reproductive years equal the years between menarche and menopause; Life time smoker included respondents who reported that they smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoker; Mann-Whitney U-test; §Fisher's exact test.

Table 3

Risk factors and life time female hormone exposures of women without AMD versus women with AMD

jkos-58-1066-i003

AMD = age-related macular degeneration; OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; OC = oral contraceptives; PMH = post menopausal hormones; BMI = body mass index; DM = diabetes mellitus.

*Reproductive years equal the years between menarche and menopause; Life time smoker included respondents who reported that they smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoker.

Table 4

Risk factors and life time female hormone exposures of women with early AMD versus women with late AMD

jkos-58-1066-i004

AMD = age-related macular degeneration; OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval; OC = oral contraceptives; PMH = post menopausal hormones; BMI = body mass index; DM = diabetes mellitus.

*Reproductive years equal the years between menarche and menopause; Life time smoker included respondents who reported that they smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoker.

Notes

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflicts to disclose.

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