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Comparison of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) between a northern European and a Mediterranean population
Author(s) -
TSIKA C,
MAKRIDAKI M,
PLAINIS S,
TSILIMBARIS M,
PALLIKARIS IG
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.432.x
Subject(s) - demography , optical density , population , medicine , mediterranean climate , geography , ophthalmology , sociology , archaeology
Purpose To investigate the Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD) differences between a northern European and a Mediterranean population. Methods MPOD was measured psychophysically using Heterochromatic Flicker Photometry in 71 healthy subjects from northern Europe (18 Dutch and 53 British). 74 healthy age‐matched Cretans (Greece) underwent the same measurements according to the same protocol. None of the subjects was taking any carotenoids supplements. The comparison of MPOD between the two populations was statistically assessed with a Generalized Linear Model of regression. The effect of age and gender was taken into consideration. Results The mean MPOD of the northern Europe population was 0.43 (CI 95% 0.39‐0.47) and the mean age 45 years old (±19). No effect of age (p=0.402) or gender (p=0.074) was revealed into this group. Respectively, for the Mediterranean population the mean MPOD was 0.42 (CI 95% 0.38‐0.45) and the mean age 39 years old (±17);mean MPOD of this group didn’t seem to change with age (p=0.402) or be affected by gender (p=0.511) either. No statistically significant difference in the MPOD between the two populations was revealed from the analysis (p=0.455). No sex or age effect was observed in the total population (p=0.893, p=0.094 respectively). Conclusion The MPOD was compared between two populations with different levels of light exposure and theoretically different diet. Although these factors are believed to affect the levels of MPOD, the latter didn’t seem to differ significantly between the two groups in the present study. Additionally, the MPOD levels weren’t found to change with age in either group or in the total population. Similarly, no sex differences were observed.