Quantitative assessments of retinal macular structure among rural-dwelling older adults in China: a population-based, cross-sectional, optical coherence tomography study

TL;DR

This study compares retinal macular structures in older rural Chinese adults using two OCT scanners and finds associations with age, sex, education, and cardiovascular disease.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into macular structure differences using two OCT models and identifies demographic and health factors influencing retinal thickness in rural older adults.

Findings

Spectralis OCT showed higher macular thickness but lower volume compared to Primus 200 OCT.

Older age and female sex were associated with lower macular thickness and volume.

Education level and cardiovascular disease were linked to specific macular thickness changes.

Abstract

To quantitatively assess and compare retinal macular structures of rural-dwelling older adults in China using two different optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanners and to examine their associations with demographic, lifestyle, clinical and ocular factors.

This population-based, cross-sectional study included 971 participants (age ≥60 years) derived from the Multimodal Interventions to Delay Dementia and Disability in Rural China study. We collected data on demographics, lifestyle factors, clinical conditions (eg, cardiovascular disease (CVD)) and ocular factors (eg, visual acuity and spherical equivalent). We used two models of spectral-domain OCT to measure macular parameters in nine Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfields. Data were analysed using the multiple general linear models.

Spectralis OCT demonstrated higher macular thickness but a lower macular volume than Primus 200 OCT (p<0.05). Nasal quadrant of the inner and outer subfields was the thickest, followed by superior quadrant. Adjusting for multiple potential confounding variables, older age was significantly correlated with lower average inner and outer macular thicknesses and overall macular volume. Men had higher macular parameters than women. The presence of CVD was correlated with lower central macular thickness (β=−6.83; 95% CI: −13.08 to −0.58; p=0.032). Middle school or above was associated with higher average inner macular thickness (β=7.85; 95% CI: 1.14 to 14.55; p=0.022) and higher spherical equivalent was correlated with lower average inner macular thickness (β=−1.78; 95% CI: −3.50 to −0.07; p=0.042).

Macular thickness and volume assessed by Spectralis and Primus 200 OCT scanners differ. Older age and female sex are associated with lower macular thickness and volume. Macular parameters are associated with education, CVD and spherical equivalent.

MIND-China study (ChiCTR1800017758).

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