Efficacy and Safety of Nutraceutical Support in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients

Purpose: to assess the possibilities of nutraceutical support in AREDS-3 category age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients.

Patients and methods. The study included 30 AREDS-3 category AMD patients (30 eyes) aged 69.2 ± 5.7 years (12 men, 18 women). As the ophthalmic nutraceutical, the biological active supplement was used, including vitamins E, B1, B2, B3, B9, B12, C, lutein, zeaxantin, lycopene, resveratrol, beta-carotene, coenzyme Q10, copper, zinc, selenium (Oftolik®; 1 capsule, 2 times a day). Follow-up period: 12–16 months (6–8 courses of therapy). All those observed underwent: standard ophthalmological examination; fundus photo registration (Nidek); OCT (Opto-Vue); OCT-angiography (Zeiss); possible systemic side effects registration. The main criterion for nutraceutical support effectiveness was stabilization of AMD manifestation. The significance of a possible increase in number and (or) size of drusen (with the AREDS-3 category), as well as the appearance of patients with AMD of the AREDS-4 category, was assessed using the Pearson γ2 test. An additional criterion was the maximum corrected visual acuity (MCVA) stabilization. The mean and its standard deviation (M ± s) were calculated, the significance of differences was assessed using the Wilcoxon’s T-test.

Results. None of the eyes included in the study showed progression from the AMD AREDS-3 category to AREDS-4. In one eye (3.33 %), an increase in the number of drusen was recorded; in 29 eyes (96.67 %), the number and size of drusen remained stable. These changes were not statistically significant (γ2 = 1.017; p = 0.314; p > 0.05). MCVA during the follow-up period remained stable with a slight but statistically insignificant trend towards its increase (from 0.69 ± 0.096 to 0.71 ± 0.07; Temp = 165, p > 0.05). In all observed patients, the tolerability of ophthalmonutraceutical was good, no significant side effects were recorded.

Conclusion. Nutraceutical support prevented the progression of AMD from AREDS-3 to AREDS-4 during follow-up of 12–16 months. In the vast majority of patients (96.67 %), manifestation of AMD within the AREDS-3 category remained stable. After 6-8 courses of therapy, no significant side effects of nutraceutical support were recorded.

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