Demographic and Prevalence Dynamics of Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 From 2015 to 2024
John T. Moir, Sonia B. Kim, Kevin C. Allan, David C. Kaelber, Rishi P. Singh, Katherine E. TalcottBackground and Objective:
This study sought to provide a recent estimate for the prevalence of macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) with respect to age, race/ethnicity, and sex.
Patients and Methods:
A cross-sectional study from 2015 to 2024 was performed for adults in the United States aged ≥ 35 years within an electronic health record data platform. Patients with MacTel were identified as those with a corresponding International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) diagnosis code. The prevalence of MacTel was calculated at each year of the study period and stratification was performed by age, race, ethnicity, and sex.
Results:
In 2024, the prevalence of MacTel was 9.06 patients per 100,000, representing a 1.91-fold increase from 2015 (95% CI 1.79–2.03). Over that same timespan, the ratio of increase in MacTel was greater than the ratio of increase of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (odds ratio 1.25, 95% 1.17–1.33).
Conclusion:
The prevalence of MacTel is lower than previously estimated but has been increasing at a striking rate from 2015 to 2024 that outpaces AMD.