Vitamin D Levels and AMD

TEL AVIVWhile evidence has shown a potential link between low vitamin D levels and increased development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a recent report from researchers from the Department of Ophthalmology Tel Aviv Medical Center at Tel Aviv University suggests no such association. Their findings are published online ahead of print in Eye, the scientific journal of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

The cross-sectional study involved members of the Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS, one of the four largest Israeli Health Maintenance Organizations) aged 60 or older and whose vitamin D levels were taken as part of routine examinations between 2000 and 2008the study data was obtained from MHS databases that include medical information on 1.8 million subscribers. The total study population included 1,045 members diagnosed with AMD, and 8,124 non-AMD members (controls), for whom there was information on vitamin D levels.

 The mean±SD level of 25-OH vitamin D was 24.1±9.41ng/ml (range 0.8-120) for the AMD patients and 24.13±9.50ng/ml (range 0.0-120) for the controls (P=ns). One-third (33.6 percent) of the AMD patients and 32.86 percent of the controls had a 25-OH vitamin D level less than 16ng/ml, and the proportions of tests in which the 25-OH vitamin D level was  less than 74ng/ml were 0.19 percent and 0.14 percent, respectively (P=ns).

The researchers concluded the results raise some doubt about the previously suggested association between reduced vitamin D levels and the prevalence of AMD.