Association of oral montelukast with reduced odds of developing exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the association of oral montelukast, selective antagonism for cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, with reduced odds of exudative age-related macular degeneration (exAMD) development. This case-control study was conducted using Institutional Cohort Finder tool, and included 1913 patients with exAMD (ICD: H35.32 and 362.52) and 1913 age- and gender-matched control subjects without exAMD. Sub-analysis among 1913 exAMD and 324 non-exudative AMD was also conducted. A total of 47 (2.5%) exAMD cases were identified to have a history of oral montelukast use prior to exAMD diagnosis, compared to 84 (4.4%) controls. Montelukast usage was significantly associated with reduced odds of exAMD in the multivariable analysis (adjusted OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31 - 0.80) as well as NSAID usage (adjusted OR: 0.69). Caucasian race, history of smoking, non-exudative macular degeneration in either eye were also found to have significant relationship with increased odds of exAMD. In the sub-analysis, montelukast usage showed significant association with reduced odds of developing exAMD from non-exudative AMD (adjusted OR: 0.53 95% CI: 0.29 - 0.97) as well as the presence of atopic disease (adjusted OR: 0.60). The study results suggested that oral montelukast is linked to reduced odds of exAMD development.