Macular Degeneration & Rheumatoid Arthritis

by John R Martinelli MD OD FAAO

Oct 14, 2024

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Is there a connection?

An article published recently in Nature found potential immnunopathologic links between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A large-scale nationwide cohort study in South Korea found individuals with AMD had an 11% higher risk of developing RA compared to those without AMD, even after adjusting for various lifestyle factors and comorbidities.

Interestingly, this increased risk was observed in AMD patients without visual disability, while those with visual impairment showed no significant elevation in RA risk.

The link between these conditions may be explained by shared inflammatory pathways, including elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the involvement of CD56+ T-cells. For us, these findings highlight the importance of understanding basic immunopathology in autoimmune conditions such as RA when managing our AMD patients.

While further research is needed to confirm causality, this study suggests AMD may be an indicator of increased RA risk and vica-versa, potentially opening new avenues for early detection and management of both conditions.

-JRM

Go to the article in Nature:

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