The prevalence and risk factors of epiretinal membranes: the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To determine the prevalence of epiretinal membranes (ERMs) in Melbourne, Australia and its risk factors in this population.

METHODS:

The Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study is a prospective study investigating the role of diet and life style in the causation of common chronic diseases. Eighty-six percent of participants were of Northern European origin born in Australia or United Kingdom and 14% were migrants from Greece or Italy (Southern European origin). Nonmydriatic digital retinal photography was implemented at Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study follow-up. The ERMs were recorded as cellophane macular reflex without retinal folds or preretinal macular fibrosis (PMF) with retinal folds.

RESULTS:

A total of 22,406 participants had retinal photography, 95% (n = 21,241) were eligible for ERM grading. The ERM prevalence were 8.9% (1,882); cellophane macular reflex, 4.9% (1,047); and preretinal macular fibrosis, 3.9% (835). After adjustment for age, sex, level of education, smoking status, level of cholesterol, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, waist measurement, blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke, increasing age and Southern European ethnicity was significantly associated with ERMs. Overall, in Southern Europeans, ERMs odd ratio was 1.97 (95% confidence intervals, 1.67-2.31), P < 0.001; preretinal macular fibrosis was 1.82 (95% confidence intervals, 1.43-2.31), P < 0.001; and cellophane macular reflex was 1.93 (1.57-2.38), P < 0.001.

CONCLUSION:

In an older Australian population, the prevalence of ERMs was 8.9% and was almost two times higher in participants of Southern European origin than Northern European origin.

• Authors: Khin Z Aung, Galina Makeyeva, Madeleine K Adams, Elaine W-T Chong, Lucy Busija, Graham G Giles, Dallas R English, John Hopper, Paul N Baird, Robyn H Guymer, Liubov D Robman
• Journal: Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Retina) Vol. 33 Issue 5 Pg. 1026-34 (May 2013) ISSN: 1539-2864 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23400080 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Epiretinal Membrane (epidemiology, ethnology, etiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prevalence
• Prospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Victoria (epidemiology)
• White People (statistics & numerical data)