Relationship between macular pigment optical density and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in an adult population

Abstract

Objective To study the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in an adult population. Methods Twenty patients with mild cataract and 39 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study, including 15 males and 44 females. The average age was 43.75 years. Fifty-three subjects were non-smokers and 6 male subjects were smokers. Two subjects preferred meat diet, 22 preferred meat-less diet, and 35 have balanced diet. MPOD was measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.75 degrees, and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The relationship between MPOD and serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin was analyzed. The differences of serum lutein and zeaxanthin between different gender, smokers and non-smokers and subjects with different dietary pattern were also analyzed. Results MPOD at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.75 degrees were 0.59, 0.48, 0.34 and 0.18, and the average concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin were (0.45±0.16) μmol/L and (0.11±0.04) μmol/L respectively. Serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in males were slightly higher than that in females, but it was not statistically significant (t=1.13, 0.86; P=0.27, 0.40). The differences of serum lutien and zeaxanthin between smokers and non-smokers (t=-0.15, -0.11; P=0.87, 0.91), among subjects of 3 dietary patterns groups were not statistically significant (Flutein=3.87, 4.05, 0.18; P=0.83, 0.81, 0.99. Fzeaxanthin=0.99, 1.51, 0.52; P=0.85, 0.68, 0.72). There was no correlation between MPOD and serum concentration of lutein (r=-0.06, -0.02, -0.07, 0.03; P>0.05) and zeaxanthin(r=0.02, 0.12, 0.09, 0.11; P>0.05). Conclusion MPOD was not statistically significantly correlated with serum concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in the studied population. Key words: Lutein; Carotenoids; Macular degeneration/prevention and control