Aociation between reproductive and hormonal factor and age-related maculopathy in potmenopaual women

Purpoe The relationhip between reproductive rik factor, including ue of hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptive and everity of age-related maculopathy (ARM) among potmenopaual women were evaluated. We hypotheized that expoure to endogenou or exogenou etrogen would be aociated with a reduced rik of advanced ARM. Deign Cro-ectional tudy. Method The 394 ubject were potmenopaual women with ARM. Logitic regreion analyi wa ued to compare the effect of everal reproductive factor acro two group: 193 ubject with nonadvanced ARM and 201 ubject with advanced ARM. Reult Women with ARM who had ued potmenopaual etrogen therapy in the pat had ignificantly lower odd of advanced ARM than nonuer, after controlling for other known and potential rik factor (odd ratio [OR] = 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30 to 0.98). Older age at menarche wa aociated with increaed odd of advanced ARM (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.00 to 1.35). Concluion Thee finding ugget that expoure to exogenou etrogen may have a beneficial effect of reducing the rik of advanced type of ARM in potmenopaual women with ARM. Few therapeutic or preventive meaure currently exit for ARM; therefore, thee reult deerve further evaluation.