Supplements slow progression of progressive dry macular degeneration (AMD)
Supplements slow progression of progressive dry macular degeneration (AMD)
A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements antioxidants may slow down progression dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) at an advanced stage. This discovery may help people with this disease. maintain your central vision. The researchers analyzed the OCT images retina participants in research on Age-related eye diseases (AREDS and AREDS2) and found that for those who have dry AMD advanced, antioxidant supplement expansion of areas has slowed down geographic atrophy toward the central region of the retinal fovea. The study was published in the journal Ophthalmology.
“We have known for a long time that AREDS2 supplements They help slow the progression of AMD from moderate to advanced stages. Our analysis suggests that they may also slow progression in people with Advanced Dry AMD” explained Dr. Tiarnan Keenan of the NIH’s National Eye Institute (NEI) and lead author of the study. “These findings support the continued use of AREDS2 supplements people with Advanced Dry AMD“.
In their new analysis, the researchers analyzed OCT images of the study participants’ retinas. AREDS (total 318 participants and 392 eyes) and AREDS2 (a total of 891 participants and 1210 eyes) who developed dry AMDcalculating the position and speed of expansion of their areas geographic atrophy. For those people who developed geographic atrophy In their opinion, the supplements brought little benefit. But for most, who developed geographic atrophy away from the fossaThe supplements slowed the rate of pit widening by about 55% on average over three years.
AMD affects spotthe part of the retina that provides central vision. In the early and middle stages of AMD, small yellow deposits of fatty proteins called Druze. As the disease progresses to a late stage, people may develop leaky blood vessels (wet AMD“) or may lose areas of light-sensitive cells in the retina (“dry AMD“). Geographic atrophy in these regions slowly spreads over time, causing progressive loss of central vision.
He original AREDS study found that a supplement formula containing antioxidants (vitamins C, E and beta-carotene), along with zinc and copper, may slow the progression of AMD from moderate to advanced stages. It AREDS2 Post Study found that replacing antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin Beta-carotene increased the effectiveness of the supplement formula and eliminated certain risks. At that point, no studies had found additional benefits when participants developed late-stage disease.
However, this initial analysis did not take into account the phenomenon of advanced dry AMD, calledfoveal protection“Although all areas of the retina are sensitive to light, the area that gives us central vision greater acuity is called a pit. Many people with dry AMD first develop geographic atrophy outside this region and alone they lose central vision when areas of atrophy extend towards the fossa.
“Our central vision is important for tasks such as reading and driving. Since there are few treatment options for people with dry AMD “Antioxidant supplements that can slow or restore your vision are a simple step that could slow the loss of central vision, even for people with advanced disease,” Keenan said. “We plan to confirm these results in a dedicated clinical trial in the near future.”
Authors of the study: The study authors are Tiarnan Keenan, Elvira Agron, and Emily Chu of the NEI; Piers Keen of Moorfields Eye Hospital, UK; and Amita Domalpally of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The study was supported by the NEI Intramural Research Program and funded by several NIH institutes and centers, including the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the National Institute on Aging, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The AREDS and AREDS2 trials, clinicaltrials.gov numbers NCT00000145 and NCT00345176, respectively, were conducted at the NIH Clinical Center.
For more information– Visit NEI and NIH.
Supplements slow progression of progressive dry macular degeneration (AMD)
Translation: Association of the retinal macular
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