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Study associates increased age, blood pressure, body mass index with retinal vascular tortuosity
Ophthalmology. 2011;118(5):812-818.
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Cardiovascular risk factors may be associated with retinal vascular tortuosity, according to a study.
Older age, higher blood pressure and greater body mass index were factors affecting retinal arteriolar tortuosity; retinal venular tortuosity was further associated with lower high-density lipoprotein levels.
A cohort of 2,915 participants in the population-based, cross-sectional Singapore Malay Eye Study contributed data including history of major cardiovascular disease risk factors and blood pressure measurements.
Quantitative measurements of various retinal vascular parameters were made by digital fundus imaging using the Singapore I Vessel Assessment computer program. Assessment of cardiovascular risk factors was done clinically.
“Despite these findings, the underlying mechanisms of the association between retinal vascular changes and elevated blood pressure are still not clear. It has been speculated that increased retinal vascular tortuosity may be related to increased blood flow and angiogenesis, so that decreased retinal vascular tortuosity may be related to endothelial dysfunction and impairment of perfusion or oxygenation in the microvasculature,” the study authors said.