Diagnostic Patterns of Age-Related Macular Degeneration among Asian Medicare Beneficiaries Macular Degeneration in Asians
Zain S. Hussain, Gloria Wu, Asad Loya, Kai Ding, Kumar Sambhav, Kamran M. Riaz, Vinay A. Shah- Ophthalmology
- General Medicine
Abstract
Purpose:
To characterize prevalence estimates by race, age, gender, and comorbidity (diabetes, hypertension) within the Medicare beneficiary demographic.
Methods:
In this US population-based retrospective cohort analysis, the Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System was analyzed for a 100% sample of Medicare Fee-For-Service beneficiary populations of Asians and non-Hispanic Whites between 2014 and 2018. Exclusionary criteria included beneficiaries less than 40 years of age. Prevalence rate ratios (PRRs), defined as prevalence rate for Asians divided by prevalence rate for non-Hispanic Whites, were calculated utilizing multivariate negative binomial regression or Pearson-scaled Poisson regression, stratified by age, gender, and comorbidity.
Results:
A total of 21,892,200 Medicare beneficiaries fulfilled the inclusionary criteria in 2018. Of the entire cohort, 3.2%(N=714,500) were Asian. For beneficiaries aged 40-64 years, Asian males (PRR 1.73,95% CI 1.64 – 1.83,
Conclusions:
This analysis highlights increased AMD prevalence estimates within the Asian American demographic relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Furthermore, specific Asian subpopulations are experiencing accelerated prevalence rates over time.