A nationwide cohort study of cigarette smoking and risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration in East Asian men. Issue 10 (14th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rim, Tyler Hyungtaek; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Kim, Dong Wook; Kim, Sung Soo; Wong, Tien Y
• Is Part Of: British journal of ophthalmology. Volume 101:Issue 10(2017)
• Page Start: 1367
• Page End: 1373
• Publication Date: 2017-03-14
• Subjects: Epidemiology -- Retina; Ophthalmology -- Periodicals; 617.7
• DOI: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2016-309952
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1161

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Few longitudinal studies have evaluated the relationship between cigarette smoking and risk of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among Asian populations. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the association between cigarette smoking and risk of neovascular AMD among Korean men. Methods: Men between the ages of 45 and 79 years included in the Korea National Health Insurance Service database from 2002 through 2013. We compared hazard ratios (HR) for neovascular AMD between 64 560 past/current and 64 560 never smokers by 1:1 propensity-matched analysis and 85 267 past/current and 72 347 never smokers by unmatched cohort and propensity-adjusted analysis. Results: The risk of neovascular AMD among past/current smokers was 50% higher than that among never smokers (propensity-adjusted whole cohort analysis: HR, 1.48; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.79; propensity-matched analysis: HR, 1.50; 95% CI 1.22 to 1.84), with the risk more pronounced among current than past smokers (current vs past smokers: propensity-adjusted whole cohort analysis, HR, 1.66; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.04 vs HR, 1.15, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.52; propensity-matched analysis, HR, 1.65; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.05 vs HR, 1.21; 95% CI 0.90 to 1.63). Duration of smoking and daily cigarette consumption was associated with the incidence of neovascular AMD in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.001 for trend). Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is associated with a strong risk of neovascular AMD among Korean men. These data highlight the public health impact of smoking on blindness in Asia.