The British Journal of Ophthalmology · Aug 28, 2020

Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and handgrip strength with age-related macular degeneration: a population-based study

By Katsimpris A, Jürgens C, Lüdtke L et al.

AIM: To assess whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and handgrip strength, two objective markers of physical fitness, are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: We analysed cross-sectional data from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (2008-2012) including 1173 adult men and women aged 20-79 years. Fundus photography of the central retina was recorded with a non-mydriatic camera, and images were graded according to an established clinical AMD classification scale by an experienced reader. CRF was measured using peak oxygen uptake (peakVO₂), oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold (VO₂@AT), and maximum power output (Wmax) from standardised cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a bicycle ergometer according to a modified Jones protocol. Handgrip strength was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) for the associations of peakVO₂, VO₂@AT, Wmax and handgrip strength with AMD were derived from multivariable Poisson regression models. RESULTS: PeakVO₂, VO₂@AT, Wmax and handgrip strength were not associated with AMD. Adjusted PR for AMD associated with a 1-SD increment in peakVO₂, VO₂@AT, Wmax and handgrip strength were 1.05 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.34), 0.96 (95% CI 0.78 to 1.18), 1.10 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.41) and 1.01 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.30), respectively. These associations were not modified by age, sex, smoking, body mass index and diabetes. Estimates in sensitivity analysis for confounding, selection bias and missing data were similar. CONCLUSION: In our study, CRF and handgrip strength were not associated with AMD. Nevertheless, longitudinal studies with bigger sample sizes are needed to furtherly examine these associations.

doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316255PubMed 32859720Populations