Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Is Differentially Associated with Early and Late Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the United States Population

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been the leading cause of irreversible blindness in industrialized countries. Emerging data suggest that serum vitamin D levels may be associated with AMD but show mixed results. National-level population data on the relationship between vitamin D and AMD severities are still lacking. Methods: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005 to 2008. Retinal photographs were taken and graded for AMD stage. The odds ratio (OR) of AMD and its subtype was calculated after adjusting for confounding factors. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were used to explore potential non-linear relations. Results: A total of 5041 participants with a mean age of 59.6 years were included. After adjusting for covariates, participants with higher level of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] had significantly greater odds of early AMD (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.08-2.51) and decreased risk of late AMD (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09-0.88). When stratified by age, a positive association between the level of serum 25(OH)D and early AMD was present in the <60 years group (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.08-7.29), whereas a negative relation between the level of serum 25(OH)D and late AMD was detected in the >= 60 years group (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.08-0.76). Conclusions: A higher level of serum 25(OH)D was related to increased risk of early AMD in those <60 years and decreased risk of late AMD in those >= 60 years.

Automated summary

The relationship between serum vitamin D levels and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is still uncertain. This study found that higher levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were associated with increased risk of early AMD in individuals younger than 60 years and decreased risk of late AMD in those aged 60 years and above.