Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Jul 2022)

Age-Related Eye Diseases in Individuals With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease

  • Jacqueline Chua,
  • Jacqueline Chua,
  • Jacqueline Chua,
  • Zheting Zhang,
  • Zheting Zhang,
  • Damon Wong,
  • Damon Wong,
  • Damon Wong,
  • Bingyao Tan,
  • Bingyao Tan,
  • Bingyao Tan,
  • Bhavani Kulantayan,
  • Chelvin C. A. Sng,
  • Chelvin C. A. Sng,
  • Saima Hilal,
  • Saima Hilal,
  • Narayanaswamy Venketasubramanian,
  • Narayanaswamy Venketasubramanian,
  • Boon Yeow Tan,
  • Carol Y. Cheung,
  • Gerhard Garhöfer,
  • Alina Popa-Cherecheanu,
  • Alina Popa-Cherecheanu,
  • Tien Yin Wong,
  • Tien Yin Wong,
  • Christopher Li-Hsian Chen,
  • Leopold Schmetterer,
  • Leopold Schmetterer,
  • Leopold Schmetterer,
  • Leopold Schmetterer,
  • Leopold Schmetterer,
  • Leopold Schmetterer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.933853
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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IntroductionAlzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related eye diseases pose an increasing burden as the world's population ages. However, there is limited understanding on the association of AD/cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) with age-related eye diseases.MethodsIn this cross-sectional, memory clinic-based study of multiethnic Asians aged 50 and above, participants were diagnosed as AD (n = 216), cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) (n = 252), and no cognitive impairment (NCI) (n = 124) according to internationally accepted criteria. Retinal photographs were graded for the presence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) using standard grading systems. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between neurological diagnosis and odds of having eye diseases.ResultsOver half of the adults had at least one eye disease, with AMD being the most common (60.1%; n = 356), followed by DR (8.4%; n = 50). After controlling for age, sex, race, educational level, and marital status, persons with AD were more likely to have moderate DR or worse (OR = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.15–7.60) compared with NCI. In the fully adjusted model, the neurological diagnosis was not associated with AMD (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.45–1.24).ConclusionPatients with AD have an increased odds of having moderate DR or worse, which suggests that these vulnerable individuals may benefit from specific social support and screening for eye diseases.

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