Retinal vessel diameters and the role of inflammation in cerebrovascular disease.
Retinal vessels may provide a way to study the cerebral microcirculation. In particular, larger retinal venular diameters have been associated with cerebrovascular disease. An inflammatory response may underlie this association. In a population-based cohort study among 5,279 participants aged 55 years or older with graded retinal vessel diameters, we observed that greater serum levels of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen and greater lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) activity were strongly associated with larger venular diameters. Weaker associations were found with arteriolar diameters. Our findings support the hypothesis that larger retinal venular diameters reflect systemic inflammation and suggest that inflammation is involved in cerebrovascular disease.
de Jong
Frank Jan
FJ
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam.
Ikram
M Kamran
MK
Witteman
Jacqueline C M
JC
Hofman
Albert
A
de Jong
Paulus T V M
PT
Breteler
Monique M B
MM
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000473:pathology; D009426:Netherlands; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010741:Phospholipases A