Demographic and Prevalence Dynamics of Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 From 2015 to 2024.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to provide a recent estimate for the prevalence of macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) with respect to age, race/ethnicity, and sex.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

A cross-sectional study from 2015 to 2024 was performed for adults in the United States aged ≥ 35 years within an electronic health record data platform. Patients with MacTel were identified as those with a corresponding International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) diagnosis code. The prevalence of MacTel was calculated at each year of the study period and stratification was performed by age, race, ethnicity, and sex.

RESULTS

In 2024, the prevalence of MacTel was 9.06 patients per 100,000, representing a 1.91-fold increase from 2015 (95% CI 1.79-2.03). Over that same timespan, the ratio of increase in MacTel was greater than the ratio of increase of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (odds ratio 1.25, 95% 1.17-1.33).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of MacTel is lower than previously estimated but has been increasing at a striking rate from 2015 to 2024 that outpaces AMD.