Mauschitz Matthias M, Finger Robert P
Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2022;11(2):94-99. doi: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000496. Epub 2022 Feb 23.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a complex disease associated with aging, remains one of the leading causes of visual loss in high-income countries and its prevalence is expected to increase over the next decades. Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy has been considered a variant of neovascular AMD and is highly prevalent in Asian populations. Similarly, cardiovascular disease (CVD)-another complex disease associated with aging-is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in high-income countries and its prevalence is also expected to increase due to population aging. Previous studies reported an increased risk for CVD in AMD patients, indicating an underlying "common soil." Reviewing the current literature, consistent evidence for common risk factors and mutual comorbidity was identified for both diseases. Cardiovascular risk factors include smoking, diet, and low levels of physical activity, which also play a role in AMD pathogenesis. Several studies demonstrated AMD patients to be at higher risk for CVD compared to the general older population. The complexity of both diseases, however, complicates research on their relation, and thus studies ought to be interpreted with caution. Herein we present an overview of selected studies and their main "take-home messages" on this topic, and hypothesize on the patho-etiologic "common ground" of these 2 diseases.
年龄相关性黄斑变性（AMD）是一种与衰老相关的复杂疾病，在高收入国家仍然是导致视力丧失的主要原因之一，预计在未来几十年其患病率还会上升。息肉样脉络膜血管病变被认为是新生血管性AMD的一种变体，在亚洲人群中高度流行。同样，心血管疾病（CVD）——另一种与衰老相关的复杂疾病——是高收入国家发病和死亡的主要原因，由于人口老龄化，其患病率预计也会上升。先前的研究报告称AMD患者患CVD的风险增加，表明存在潜在的“共同土壤”。回顾当前文献，发现这两种疾病存在共同危险因素和相互合并症的一致证据。心血管危险因素包括吸烟、饮食和低水平的身体活动，这些因素在AMD发病机制中也起作用。几项研究表明，与一般老年人群相比，AMD患者患CVD的风险更高。然而，这两种疾病的复杂性使对它们之间关系的研究变得复杂，因此对研究结果的解释应谨慎。在此，我们概述了关于该主题的部分研究及其主要“关键信息”，并对这两种疾病的病理病因“共同基础”提出假设。
