Changes in macular pigment optical density with age in healthy and in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration: a cross sectional study

Abstract Background To study the changes in macular pigment optical density (MPOD) with age in healthy eyes and in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using the Macular Pigment Screener II (MPSII®). Methods One hundred and twenty-six eyes of 126 individuals (51 male, 75 female) were retrospectively evaluated. The MPOD was measured using the MPSII®, which uses a heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) method, and the estimated values were reviewed. Spearman’s correlation test was used to evaluate the correlations between the MPOD and age. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to obtain determine the association between the MPOD and age and MPOD. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the MPOD between among the four groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was utilized to compare the MPOD between the dry AMD group and the elderly controls Results Estimated MPOD values decreased significantly with increasing age (Spearman’s correlation coefficient, -0.239; p=0.008) in the general population. In the simple regression analysis, a statistically significant linear regression model was observed, and the estimated values of the MPOD decreased by -0.005 as the age increased by one 1 year (p=0.001, Eestimated value of MPOD value = 0.884 – 0.005 ×x Aage). In the healthy population, the estimated MPOD values exhibited a decreasing trend with age, but there were no significant differences according to age, with the exception of patients with dry AMD (p=0.201). The MPOD was significantly lower in patients with dry AMD than in age-matched healthy controls (p=0.001). Conclusions Measurement of the MPOD using the MPSII® is feasible in both healthy individuals and in patients with dry AMD. Early detection of AMD and the contributing risk factors may be possible with regular MPOD screening in elderly patients or in patients with a reduced MPOD.