Obstructive sleep apnea may increase risk of progression of age-related macular degeneration: Study

A recent retrospective cohort study unveiled a crucial connection between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and an increased risk of developing and progressing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The findings of this extensive study was published in the recent edition of Ophthalmology Retina journal.

This research leveraged data from over 1.2 million individuals and offered major insights into the interplay between sleep disorders and ocular health, this underscores the potential implications of OSA in accelerating AMD-related vision complications.

The study analyzed electronic health records sourced from the TriNetX database by examining a total of 60,652 individuals with OSA and 1,173,723 without OSA. After adjusting for propensity scores and applying strong inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final cohorts included 58,700 individuals in both the OSA and control groups.

The study explored AMD incidence, macular hemorrhage, legal blindness, and the requirement for anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy over a 5-year period. These findings indicate that individuals with diagnosed OSA face a substantially higher risk of AMD and its complications. 

The individuals with OSA were 2.64 times more likely to develop nonexudative AMD and 2.48 times more likely to develop exudative AMD when compared to the control cohort. The need for anti-VEGF therapy, a treatment for advanced AMD, was 2.85 times higher in the OSA group. Among individuals with non-advanced AMD, the individuals with OSA expressed a 7-fold higher risk of geographic atrophy (GA), a severe form of AMD leading to significant vision loss.

The risk of progression to exudative AMD was also markedly elevated (HR, 2.87). OSA patients were 4.72 times more likely to require anti-VEGF therapy due to advanced disease complications. This study highlights the importance of monitoring ocular health in individuals with OSA which is a condition already known for its cardiovascular and metabolic risks.

The findings emphasized the potential necessity for early screening and intervention strategies for AMD in OSA patients, particularly the individuals with early-stage AMD, to reduce the progression to worsening stages of the disease. Overall, this study adds a critical dimension to understand the far-reaching impacts of OSA and urge clinicians to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to managing patients with this condition.

Source:

Alshaikhsalama, A. M., Alsoudi, A. F., Wai, K. M., Koo, E., Mruthyunjaya, P., & Rahimy, E. (2024). Association between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Age-related Macular Degeneration Development and Progression. In Ophthalmology Retina. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oret.2024.12.004