Self-Reported Sleep Duration in Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To examine the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: This case-control study comprised 165 subjects (57 patients with nAMD and 108 controls). Controls were matched to cases by age and sex. Participants completed a questionnaire that included questions about sleep duration and quality. Four categories of sleep duration were established; <6 hours, 6–7 hours, 7–8 hours and >8 hours. Association of sleep duration and nAMD was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to control for possible confounders.

Results: We found a significant association between short sleep duration and nAMD (for <6 hours, odds ratio, OR, 3.29, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.32–8.27; for 6–7 hours, OR 2.25, 95% CI 0.80–6.32; and for >8 hours, OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.53–3.73) compared with the reference category of 7–8 hours. This association remained significant after adjustment for confounders (<6 hours, OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.20–7.97). In addition, a borderline significant association was observed between self-reported very bad sleep quality and nAMD (OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.02–7.88). The highest rate of sleep medication use was found in the nAMD group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence to support an association between short sleep duration and nAMD. Considering strategies to improve sleep in these patients may prevent the negative effects of sleep deficiency.

KEYWORDS:

• Age-related macular degeneration
• choroidal neovascularization
• self-report
• sleep
• sleep duration
• sleep quality

Acknowledgments

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

No funding was received for this work.