Pos0690 Association of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Background: Previous cohort studies have indicated an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the relationship between AMD and RA is still unclear, and data on the risk of RA in AMD patients from Asia remain inadequate. Objectives: We sought to assess the association between AMD with/without visual disability and the risk of RA occurrence using National Health Insurance data in South Korea. Methods: In total, 3,537,293 individuals who underwent health screening program checkups between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009 were included and followed until December 31, 2019. Participants with a visual disability were defined as those with loss of vision or a visual field defect as certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Korea. Using multivariable adjusted Cox regression analysis, RA hazard ratios were estimated for control and AMD with/without visual disability groups. Results: In total, 43,772 participants (1.24%) were diagnosed with RA. Individuals with AMD were at higher risk of RA compared to controls, regardless of the presence of visual disability (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.21). Among individuals with AMD, different risk levels of RA were observed between those without visual disability (aHR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03–1.21) and those with visual disability (aHR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.64–1.27). Conclusion: AMD was associated with a higher risk of RA, which remained significant as a trend even after adjusting for lifestyle factors and comorbidities. Future research is needed to clarify the biological basis for the association between AMD and RA. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.