La age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease involving the central area of the retinathe macula, responsible for central vision (https://www.oculistaitaliano.it/articoli/ruolo-dellinfiammazione-nelle-patogenesi-della-degenerazione-maculare-legata-alleta/). This eye disease is degenerative and is closely linked to age. In fact, AMD affects individuals over 55 and is considered as the number one cause of blindness in developing countries and the third globally. The onset of AMD is accompanied by an alteration of the pigmented epithelium of the retina, the layer where there is the highest concentration of detail vision cells (cones), which causes the formation of protein and lipid deposits (drusen) resulting in impaired high-resolution central vision. The risk factors underlying the onset of this serious eye disease are numerous but some correlations, such as cardiovascular risk, still remain unclear. Moreover, there is no therapeutic strategy that can be defined as fully resolving for AMD, However, clinical evidence such as that from the AREDS study (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) shows that daily intake of antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements can reduce the risk of occurrence of the degenerative disease 25%.
Recently, literature data report a possible association between the occurrence of AMD and thyroid cancer, a small endocrine gland that is essential for the proper functioning of metabolism and many physiological processes in the body. Among its many functions, the hormones produced by the thyroid gland also regulate theexpression of a retinal protein, opsin, and the proper development of the retina itself. High levels of free thyroxine (FT4), one of the thyroid hormones, are associated with a higher prevalence of AMD.
Further confirmation of the correlation between AMD and thyroid cancer comes recently by a study of 5,253 patients with the thyroid cancer, which showed that these individuals have a higher risk (about 2 times) of development of this degenerative eye disease compared to control subjects, i.e. those without thyroid cancer. This is because the Thyroid cancer and age-related macular degeneration share some risk factors such as high insulin levels and obesity. At the same time, data from this research showed that study subjects with thyroid carcinoma had a higher prevalence of, for example, diabetic disease or hypertension, diseases predisposing to AMD.
Source
Evidence for an Association between Macular Degeneration and Thyroid Cancer in the Aged Population. Shih-Yi Lin. et al.Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 902;
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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