Associations between aspirin use and aging macula disorder: the European Eye Study.

OBJECTIVE: To study associations between aspirin use and early and late aging macula disorder (AMD). DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional European Eye Study in 7 centers from northern to southern Europe. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 4691 participants 65 years of age and older, collected by random sampling. METHODS: Aspirin intake and possible confounders for AMD were ascertained by a structured questionnaire. Ophthalmic and basic systemic measurements were performed in a standardized way. The study classified AMD according to the modified International Classification System on digitized fundus images at 1 grading center. Nonfasting blood samples were analyzed in a single laboratory. Associations were analyzed by logistic regression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios (ORs) for AMD in aspirin users. RESULTS: Early AMD was present in 36.4% of the participants and late AMD was present in 3.3% of participants. Monthly aspirin use was reported by 1931 (41.2%), at least once weekly by 7%, and daily use by 17.3%. For daily aspirin users, the ORs, adjusted for potential confounders, showed a steady increase with increasing severity of AMD grades. These were: grade 1, 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.46; P<0.001); grade 2, 1.42 (95% CI, 1.18-1.70), and wet late AMD, 2.22 (95% CI, 1.61-3.05). CONCLUSIONS: Frequent aspirin use was associated with early AMD and wet late AMD, and the ORs rose with increasing frequency of consumption. This interesting observation warrants further evaluation of the associations between aspirin use and AMD. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.