Published online before print August 13, 2007, doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.107.091926
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Hypertension. 2007;50:617.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.
Original Articles |
Aortic Distensibility and Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing
The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
From the Centre for Eye Research Australia (N.C., F.M.A.I., T.Y.W.), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; the Department of Epidemiology (A.R.S.), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md; the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (R.K., B.E.K.K.), University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison; the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine (M.H.C.), University of California San Diego; the Departments of Radiology (K.J.M.), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md; the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Research (M.F.C.), National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md; and Singapore Eye Research Institute (T.Y.W.), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Correspondence to Tien Yin Wong, Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, 32 Gisborne St, Victoria 3002, Australia. E-mail twong{at}unimelb.edu.au
Increased aortic stiffness and retinal arteriolar narrowing are subclinical vascular effects of chronic hypertension and predict future cardiovascular events. The relationship between these 2 vascular measures is uncertain and is examined in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. This cross-sectional analysis involves 3425 participants (aged 45 to 85 years) free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Retinal vascular caliber was quantified from digital retinal photographs using standardized protocols. Aortic distensibility was determined from chest MRI. After controlling for age, squared age, gender, race, study center, height, weight, heart rate, cigarette smoking, past and current systolic blood pressure, use of antihypertensive medications, diabetes, fasting glucose, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein, reduced aortic distensibility (first versus fourth distensibility quartile) was associated with increased odds of retinal arteriolar narrowing (odds ratio: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.15 to 2.58, comparing lowest to highest quartile of arteriolar caliber). Further adjustments for atherosclerotic measures (carotid intima-media thickness, coronary calcium score, and ankle brachial index) had minimal impact on this association (odds ratio: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.55). Reduced aortic distensibility was not associated with retinal venular caliber. We conclude that increased aortic stiffness is associated with retinal arteriolar narrowing, independent of measured blood pressure levels and vascular risk factors. These data suggest that changes in the microvasculature may play a role linking aortic stiffness with clinical cardiovascular events.
Key Words: population science • microcirculation • arterial compliance • imaging • risk factors
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  K. McGeechan, G. Liew, P. Macaskill, L. Irwig, R. Klein, B. E.K. Klein, J. J. Wang, P. Mitchell, J. R. Vingerling, P. T.V.M. deJong, et al. Meta-analysis: Retinal Vessel Caliber and Risk for Coronary Heart Disease Ann Intern Med, September 15, 2009; 151(6): 404 - 413. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J.-D. Ho, C.-C. Hu, and H.-C. Lin Open-Angle Glaucoma and the Risk of Stroke Development: A 5-Year Population-Based Follow-Up Study Stroke, August 1, 2009; 40(8): 2685 - 2690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. Thom, C. Stettler, A. Stanton, N. Witt, R. Tapp, N. Chaturvedi, S. Allemann, J. Mayet, P. Sever, N. Poulter, et al. Differential Effects of Antihypertensive Treatment on the Retinal Microcirculation: An Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial Substudy Hypertension, August 1, 2009; 54(2): 405 - 408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Laurent, M. Briet, and P. Boutouyrie Large and Small Artery Cross-Talk and Recent Morbidity-Mortality Trials in Hypertension Hypertension, August 1, 2009; 54(2): 388 - 392. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. A. Peralta, R. Katz, M. Madero, M. Sarnak, H. Kramer, M. H. Criqui, and M. G. Shlipak The Differential Association of Kidney Dysfunction With Small and Large Arterial Elasticity: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Am. J. Epidemiol., March 15, 2009; 169(6): 740 - 748. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 G. F. Mitchell Effects of central arterial aging on the structure and function of the peripheral vasculature: implications for end-organ damage J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2008; 105(5): 1652 - 1660. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Cheung, R. Klein, J. J. Wang, M. F. Cotch, A. F. M. Islam, B. E. K. Klein, M. Cushman, and T. Y. Wong Traditional and Novel Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Retinal Vein Occlusion: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., October 1, 2008; 49(10): 4297 - 4302. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
N. Cheung, S. Huynh, J. J. Wang, B. Taylor, F. M. A. Islam, S. M. Saw, T. Y. Wong, and P. Mitchell Relationships of Retinal Vessel Diameters with Optic Disc, Macular and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Parameters in 6-Year-Old Children Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., June 1, 2008; 49(6): 2403 - 2408. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Hemingway, C. Langenberg, J. Damant, C. Frost, K. Pyorala, and E. Barrett-Connor Prevalence of Angina in Women Versus Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of International Variations Across 31 Countries Circulation, March 25, 2008; 117(12): 1526 - 1536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. M. Touyz Vascular Remodeling, Retinal Arteries, and Hypertension Hypertension, October 1, 2007; 50(4): 603 - 604. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|