To find out the correlation between modifiable risk factors like Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference and smoking with Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Abstract

Aim : To find out the correlation between modifiable risk factors like Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference and smoking with Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Materials and methods: In this hospital-based, observational, case-control study, 60 patients presenting to our outpatient department over a period of two year were included. The selected participants were grouped into the AMD group which included 30 eyes with non-neovascular AMD and neovascular AMD along with 30 eyes as a control group. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examination along with measurement of weight, height and waist circumference.
Results: 30 eyes of 30 patients diagnosed to have AMD and 30 eyes of 30 agematched controls were included in this study. The mean age was 66 years (49-85 years). The mean BMI (weight in kilograms [kg]) / (height in meters [m])2 in patients with neovascular AMD was 27.74 kg/m2  4.93 (n=19). The mean BMI in patients with non-neovascular AMD was 25.58 kg/m2  2.90 (n=31) whereas mean BMI in the control group was 23.85 kg/m2  3.31 (n=50). There was a statistically significant difference between the two AMD groups and the control group with respect to BMI (ANOVA; F=8.605; DF=2; p<0.001). The mean waist circumference (cm) in patients with neovascular AMD was 104.63 cm  5.78 (n=19). The mean waist circumference in patients with non-neovascular AMD was 102.677 cm  6.11 (n=31) whereas mean waist circumference in the control group was 91.74 cm  6.70 (n=50) and the difference was statistically significant (ANOVA; F=42.70; DF=2; p<0.001). Statistically significant difference was observed between the smokers belonging to case and control groups (ANOVA; F=13.967; DF=2; p<0.001).
Conclusion: A statistically significant correlation exists between BMI, waist circumference, smoking and severity of AMD.