Age-related macular degeneration and antioxidant status in the POLA study

Objective: To give the levels of antioxidant nutrients in relation to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Pathologies Oculaires Liees a l'Age is a population-based study on cataract and AMD and their risk factors, carried out on 2584 inhabitants of Sete, France. Age-related macular degeneration was defined by findings from fundus photographs according to an international classification. Biological measurements were taken from fasting blood samples. Results: After multivariate adjustment, plasma a-tocopherol levels showed a weak negative association with late AMD (P = .07). Lipid-standardized plasma tr-tocopherol levels showed a significant negative association with late AMD (P = .003): the risk of late AMD was reduced by 82% in the highest quintile compared with the low est. Similarly, lipid-standardized plasma cr-tocopherol levels were inversely associated with early signs of AMD (odds ratio, 0.72 [95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.98]; P = .04). No associations were found with plasma retinol and ascorbic acid levels or with red blood cell glutathione values. Comment: These results suggest that vitamin E may provide protection against AMD. Only randomized interventional studies could prove the protective effect of vitamin E on AMD.