Degeneração macular relacionada à idade: prevalência e perfil dos pacientes

Abstract

AIMS: to verify the prevalence of age - related macular degeneration and the epidemiological profile of the elderly affected by the disease. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study with a sample composed of patients 60 years of age or older attending a private ophthalmology clinic in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. Sociodemographic and health data were collected from the medical records. The data were double digitized in the EpiData program, for quality control. The descriptive statistical analysis was performed in the PSPP program. RESULTS: the sample consisted of 132 patients; in 18 of them, age-related macular degeneration was observed, prevalence of 13.6%, with predominance of dry form in 66.7% (n=12). The variables gender, occupation related to excessive sun exposure, family history of the disease, use of cholesterol lowering drug and systemic arterial hypertension did not present a statistically significant relationship with the disease. Regarding the age variable, it was found an increase in the prevalence of macular degeneration in the more advanced age categories, with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study found, for the most part, support in the literature to date. However, it establishes controversial findings by relating demographic and health characteristics to the development of the disease.