A new study finds that taking low-dose aspirin over the long term didn’t affect the progression of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, or stop the risk for it altogether.
Researchers used the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly–AMD, or ASPREE-AMD, study, a part of the ASPREE trial to assess the effects of aspirin on AMD, the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in older adults. The study was published Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology.
No interventions exist to delay AMD’s progression, although some research has found that supplements and nutritional support may help.
The investigators looked at retinal photography taken from March 2010 to January 2015 and then again at three and five years after people were randomly assigned to study groups. In total, 4,993 people aged 70 or more years were enrolled. None of the people had dementia, independence-limiting physical disabilities, cardiovascular disease or chronic illness.
The team compared two groups: One that took 100 mg of aspirin a day and another that took a placebo. Follow-up data were available for 3,208 people.
Over the course of the study, 19.4% of the people taking aspirin got AMD, compared with 19.1% of those not taking the medication. Cumulative progression from early/intermediate AMD to late AMD was observed in 2.3% participants in the aspirin group and 3.1% in the placebo group.
The team noted that the approximate follow-up time is a relatively short period to reach definite conclusions. Based on that time frame, however, aspirin didn’t seem to help prevent or slow the progression of AMD.
In short, the researchers said that the study findings don’t support the idea that low-dose aspirin taken daily can prevent people from getting AMD or keep it from getting worse.
Some research has shown supplements can delay the progression of AMD, whereas a more recent study found that cetylcholinesterase inhibitors, or AChEIs, used to treat Alzheimer’s disease may lower the risk for AMD.
