Comorbidity of age-related macular degeneration with Alzheimer's disease: A histopathologic case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies evaluating the association between clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have generated conflicting results. This study is the first to assess whether AMD prevalence is higher in AD patients than non-AD controls by using histopathology to definitively diagnose AD. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study utilizing diagnostic information extracted from autopsy reports of patients age 75 and above, including 115 with a neuropathological diagnosis of AD and 57 age-matched normal controls. RESULTS: The rate of AMD was not significantly higher in AD cases (53.0%) than in controls (59.6%) (z = 0.820, p = 0.794). AMD severity as determined by Sarks score was similar between AD patients and controls (χ2 = 2.96, p = 0.706). There was also no significant association between Braak stage of AD severity and AMD (χ2 = 4.55, p = 0.602). DISCUSSION: No significant effect of AD diagnosis or pathologic severity on AMD comorbidity was found, suggesting that any shared mechanisms between AMD and AD may be nondeterministic.

Duke Scholars

Author Eleonora Georgeta Lad Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery

Author P. Murali Doraiswamy Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neur ...

Author Sandra Sue Stinnett Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Division of Biostatistics

Author Heather Elizabeth Whitson Medicine, Geriatrics and Palliative Care