Several studies have indicated that
lipoproteins might contribute to the pathogenesis of
age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this population-based retrospective cohort study, patients with
hyperlipidemia were divided into two groups (study groups I and II) based on whether or not they were receiving
antihyperlipidemic agents. The comparison group included patients without
hyperlipidemia who were randomly selected and matched with study group II patients. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the risk of AMD among the groups. Patients with
hyperlipidemia receiving
antihyperlipidemic agents (study group I, n = 15,482) had a significantly increased AMD risk (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-1.45) compared to those not receiving
antihyperlipidemic agents (study group II, n = 15,482). However, with an increase in cumulative exposure, a reduced risk of AMD was observed in patients using a defined daily dose of more than 721, with an adjusted HR of 0.34 (95% CI = 0.22-0.53, p < 0.001). Additionally, the adjusted HR of AMD for study group II was 1.40 (95% CI = 1.20-1.63, p < 0.001) relative to the comparison group (n = 61,928). In conclusion, the study results indicated that patients with
hyperlipidemia have a higher AMD risk than patients without
hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, patients with
hyperlipidemia who received
antihyperlipidemic agents had a significantly increased AMD risk. However, a dose-dependent reduction in the risk of AMD was observed in patients with
hyperlipidemia using
statins or/and
fibrates.