Short Sleep Duration Linked to Increased Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have shed light on the connection between sleep duration and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study, conducted through cross-sectional analysis and bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR), uncovers a concerning link between inadequate sleep and an elevated risk of AMD. 

The study results were published in the journal Frontiers Aging Neuroscience in August 2023. 

Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness worldwide. A significant, progressive visual impairment is linked to advanced age-related macular degeneration, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet) and geographic atrophy (late dry). Due to uncertainity between sleep and AMD, Researchers from China concucted a cross-sectional analysis of survey data to investigate the association between sleep duration and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study was carried out by collecting necessary information from 5,481 participants aged 40 and above, drawn from the 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). To further solidify the findings, the researchers turned to Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, utilizing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data encompassing large population samples associated with sleep and AMD. The primary method employed for MR analysis was the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) approach. Logistic regression models was used to assess the association between sleep duration and AMD. 

Findings: 

• After adjusting for various covariates, it was discovered that individuals with short sleep duration (SSD) were at a heightened risk of early AMD. The odds ratio (OR) stood at 1.364, with a p-value of 0.036, signaling a noteworthy connection.
• The MR analysis corroborated the conclusions drawn from the cross-sectional study.
• It demonstrated that SSD significantly increases the risk of early AMD, with a beta coefficient of 0.102 and an IVW p-value of 0.003.
• These findings underscore the robustness of the association between sleep deficiency and the heightened risk of AMD.

Thus, the study provided weight to the notion that sleep plays a pivotal role in the development of AMD. However, researchers emphasize the need for further investigations to validate these findings and delve into the underlying mechanisms driving this association.

Further reading: Sleep duration and age-related macular degeneration: a cross-sectional and Mendelian randomization study.  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1247413