title: Arterial compliance and retinal vascular caliber in cerebrovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Arterial stiffness is a newly recognized risk factor for stroke. Whether this is mediated by small- or large-artery disease is unknown. In this study, we examined the relationship between arterial stiffness and retinal vascular caliber.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, population-based study of 5,731 participants (aged 45-84 years) who were free of clinical cardiovascular disease (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Retinal arteriolar and venular calibers were measured from retinal photographs according to standardized protocols. Small- and large-artery compliance was determined from pulse contour analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, lipid profile, and other risk factors, reduced large-artery compliance was associated with smaller retinal arteriolar caliber; each standard deviation decrease in large-artery compliance was associated with a 0.70 microm (p = 0.002) decrease in retinal arteriolar caliber. After adjusting for the same set of risk factors, reduced small-artery compliance was associated with wider retinal venular caliber; each standard deviation decrease in small artery compliance was associated with a 1.43 microm (p = 0.001) increase in retinal venular caliber. These associations remained significant after further adjustments for large-vessel atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness, coronary artery calcium, and ankle-arm index).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced arterial wall compliance in large arterial beds is associated with retinal arteriolar narrowing, whereas reduced arterial wall compliance in small arterial beds is associated with retinal venular widening. These data may provide further insights into the effects of altered arterial stiffness on the cerebral microcirculation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: F M Amirul
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: A Richey
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sharrett
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Joseph F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: Mary F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cotch
authors.forename: Barbara E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Pamala
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Tien Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001160:Arterioles / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002537:Intracranial Arteriosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014699:Venules / Q000503:physiopathology