Review article
The Role of Omega6 to Omega3 Ratio in Development and Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Tea Čaljkušić Mance
Damir Kovačević
Zvjezdana Alpeza-Dunato
Maja Novak Stroligo
Gordana Brumini
Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate possible connection between omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio and development
and progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). We examined 125 patients diagnosed with ARMD and divided
into 5 groups of 25 patients according to CARMS (Clinical Age-Related Maculopathy Staging System). Control
group consists of 51 patients with similar ages, without ARMD. All of them underwent stereobiomicroscopy, fundus photography
and fluorescein angiography. Dietary fatty acids intake was measured using food frequency questionairre (FFQ).
The FFQ was based on previously validated questionairre (DIETQ, Tinuviel Software, Warington, Ches, UK) and FFQ2
from Blue MountainEye Study. The data were analysed using food nutritient dana from McCance and Widdowson´s Food
Composition Tables, supplemented with a food fatty acid content database (Foodbase, London, UK).We noticed statistically
significant difference between omega-6/omega-3 ratio in neovascular ARMD (stage 5) and all other groups including control
group (p=0.000020).The ratio in Stage 5 was about 11:1 like inWestern diet. Stage 4-geographic atrophy (GA) has statistically
significant difference in o-mega-6/omega-3 ratio compared with stage 1 (p=0.000571), stage 2 (p=0.000112) and
stage 3 (p=0.000430). The ratio in first three groups is about 7–7.5:1 (greater then Mediteran-4–5:1, but lower thenWestern
Diet-10–20:1). There is no statistically significant difference between first three stages (p>0.05) and stage 4 and control
group (p=0.172388). Omega-6/omega-3 ratio is connected with development of neovascular ARMD. Decreased ratio protects
against neovascular ARMD. On the contrary, GA seems to be connected with prolonged sunlight exposure (the ratio is
about 6:1). It is good to know that changing nutrition habits someone can prevent development of severe neovascular form
of ARMD because intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy limitations.
Keywords
age-related macular degenerations; omega-6 fatty acids; omega-3 fatty acids
Hrčak ID:
72298
URI
Publication date:
25.9.2011.
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