Endometriosis as a risk factor for age-related macular degeneration: A nationwide population-based study

Abstract

Objective: Investigate the association between endometriosis and the incidence of age-related macular degeneration.

Material and methods: This study used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (2000-2018) to examine the link between endometriosis and age-related macular degeneration. The endometriosis cohort included women diagnosed with the condition, with the index date set as their first diagnosis. A control group of women without endometriosis was matched using propensity score matching based on age, year of the index date, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was the occurrence of age-related macular degeneration during the study period. The incidence of age-related macular degeneration was compared between the two cohorts using a Cox regression model, and the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method.

Results: The study included 53,993 individuals per group, with no significant differences in age or comorbidities. The mean follow-up duration was significantly longer for the endometriosis cohort (10.18 years) than the non-endometriosis cohort (9.96 years). Patients with endometriosis exhibited a significantly higher risk of age-related macular degeneration (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.43, 95 % confidence interval: 1.26-1.63, p < 0.001) after adjusting for age and comorbidities. The Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed an increased cumulative incidence of age-related macular degeneration in the endometriosis cohort. Subgroup analysis revealed a higher risk of age-related macular degeneration in patients with endometriosis across various age groups and in those without comorbidities.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated a significant association between endometriosis and the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in women.

Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Endometriosis; Risk factors.