Abstract
To investigate the prevalence and new onset of depression and anxiety among subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and its association with AMD in a large European cohort with relatively good visual acuity. 11,834 participants enrolled in the German population-based Gutenberg Health Study were studied. AMD was diagnosed by grading of fundus photographs. Depression and anxiety were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 Scale, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were performed and adjusted for several parameters. 1,089 (9.2%) participants were diagnosed having AMD. Prevalence of depression in AMD and non-AMD participants was 7.2% and 8.0%, respectively and prevalence of anxiety was 4.2% and 7.0%, respectively. New onset of depression and anxiety at 5-year follow-up in AMD subjects was 2.6% and 3.6%, respectively. AMD was not associated with depression (OR 0.93; CI 95% 0.70–1.20; p = 0.62). AMD was associated with less anxiety (OR 0.67; CI 95% 0.47–0.93; p = 0.02). This is the first study analyzing both prevalence and new onset of depression and anxiety in AMD subjects. AMD- and non-AMD participants had a similar prevalence and new onset of depression in our population-based sample. Participants without AMD had a higher prevalence of anxiety. AMD was not associated with depression.
Highlights
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic, progressive eye disease that leads to central visual loss due to death of photoreceptors caused by loss of retinal pigment epithelium
Social parameters including being in a partnership, receiving social support and having a sense of loneliness as well as mental health conditions such as Type D Personality and panic disorder were distributed in both groups
There was a significant difference in visual acuity (VA) between both groups
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic, progressive eye disease that leads to central visual loss due to death of photoreceptors caused by loss of retinal pigment epithelium. The prevalence of depression and anxiety in AMD patients has been subject of several studies, reported results have been inconsistent. The large and ever increasing number of patients affected by AMD in the context of an aging population reveals the importance of studying possible associated mental health conditions. To the best of our knowledge, there is no population-based European cohort study investigating the prevalence and new onset of depression and anxiety among subjects with AMD and the association between both mental conditions and AMD. The current study uses cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) to determine the prevalence and new onset of depression and anxiety among subjects with AMD and to analyze the association between both mental conditions and AMD
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