Prevalence and risk factors of age-related macular degeneration in Uyghur residents aged 50 or above in southern Xinjiang region

Abstract

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in southern Xinjiang Uyghur residents aged≥ 50 years. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out.Randomized cluster sampling was used in this survey of Uyghur residents aged 50 or above in Kuche and Kashi County of Xinjiang from January to May 2017.A total of 1 202 individuals received questionnaire survey, visual acuity test and eye examination.The AMD was diagnosed according to the Consensus of the 2012 International Beckmann AMD Classification Study Group, and the prevalence rate and risk factors of AMD in the population was analyzed. Results In 1490 Uyghur residents, a total of 1 202 subjects were included, with the response rate 80.67%.The 113 eyes of 73 patients were diagnosed as AMD, with the prevalence rate 6.07%.The prevalence of early- and mid-term AMD was 3.99%, and dry AMD was 1.00% and wet AMD was 1.08%.The prevalence rate of AMD in 50-59 years group, 60-69 years group, 70-79 years group and more than 80-year group was 4.35%, 5.85%, 11.38% and 14.81%, respectively.The prevalence of AMD was elevated with aging (χ2=15.008, P=0.002). Aging and region are the risk factors of AMD (Age: OR=1.000, P=0.001; region: OR=0.515, P=0022). Conclusions The prevalence rate of AMD among Uyghur residents aged 50 or above in southern Xinjiang is significantly lower than that in Europe and United States.Aging is an uncontrollable risk factor for AMD. Key words: Age-related macular degeneration; Prevalence; Risk factors; Uyghur; Epidemiology