Year: 2000
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The western world is aging rapidly. In the Netherlands, the current mean life \nexpectancy for men and women is 74.6 and 80.4 years, respectively, and those over 65 \nyears of age comprise 13.6% of the total population. This proportion of elderly is \nexpected to increase considerably within the coming years, and this will lead to higher \nfrequencies of diseases. Age-related maculopathy (ARM) is one of those frequent \ngeriatric diseases. It is an eye disease ultimately leading to blindness. The prevalence \nof the clinical end stages of this disorder range from 1 % in those aged 60 years of age \nto 10% in those aged 85 years and older. At least 60000 Dutch subjects are severely \naffected by these end stages, also called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). \nAMD has a great impact on visual function and the performance of daily tasks, in \nparticular because there are still no means for long term restoration of vision. \nDuring the last decade there has been steadily increasing research activity \ninvestigating the disease etiology. It became better known that the pathogenesis was \ncomplex with a variety of risk factors involved. Family reports and twin studies \npointed to a genetic background, and epidemiologic studies suggested environmental \ninfluences from vascular and dietmy factors, sunlight and smoking. However, findings \nwere not unequivocal, and the evidence on most of these relations was insufficient and \ninconclusive. This called for more extensive research into the causes of ARM. \nThis thesis aimed to answer the following questions: \nPal'l I: What is the current genetic epidemiologic knowledge on ARM? \nPari Jl: What is the incidence of AMD, what is the natural course of the disease, \nand what is the relation with visual impairment?
Author: Caroline C. W. Klaver
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1534236866