Ten-year incidence of retinal emboli in an older population.
OBJECTIVE
To assess 10-year incidence of retinal emboli and its predictors in an older population.


METHODS
Survivors of 3654 Blue Mountains Eye Study participants > or =49 years of age were re-examined 5 and 10 years later. Incident emboli were assessed from retinal photographs.


RESULTS
Cumulative 10-year incidence was 2.9% (95% CI, 2.1% to 3.6%) among 2361 at risk. Age was associated with incident emboli (Ptrend=0.0001). After multivariate adjustment, hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; CI, 1.0 to 3.1), hypercholesterolemia (OR, 1.3; CI, 1.0 to 1.6), overweight (OR, 3.3; CI, 1.6 to 6.9), current smoking (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.1 to 5.9), increasing fibrinogen level (OR per mg/dL, 1.1; CI, 1.0 to 1.2), and retinal vascular signs (arteriovenous nicking OR, 2.0; CI, 1.2 to 3.6; arteriolar wall opacification OR, 2.3; CI, 1.1 to 5.0; retinal vein occlusion OR, 3.2; CI, 1.0 to 9.9) were significantly associated with incident emboli.


CONCLUSIONS
The 3% incidence of retinal arteriolar emboli found in this older population is likely to be an underestimate attributable to the transient nature of emboli and differential loss to follow-up. Most cardiovascular risk factors predict retinal embolism.
Cugati
Sudha
S
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Sydney, Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Australia.
Wang
Jie Jin
JJ
Rochtchina
Elena
E
Mitchell
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors