title: Risk factors for retinal arteriolar emboli in coronary artery disease.
abstract: This study determined the prevalence of retinal arteriolar emboli risk factors in 148 patients (86 males) diagnosed with coronary artery disease who required coronary artery bypass graft surgery (mean +/- SD age 59.1 +/- 12.9 years). The prevalence of smoking was 50.7%, hypertension was 49.3%, diabetes mellitus was 27.0% and obesity was 31.1%. Retinal arteriolar emboli were detected using binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy of both eyes. They were found in 10 patients (6.8%) and identified as the cholesterol type. Patients were divided according to their baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) serum level; retinal arteriolar emboli were significantly more frequent in patients with LDL-C levels > 100 mg/dl. These results demonstrate that the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia and high LDL-C were increased in patients with retinal arteriolar emboli. Identification and treatment of modifiable risk factors, such as high LDL-C and hypercholesterolaemia, might be beneficial in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education Faculty, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Alp
authors.forename: Nilgün
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bozbuğa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alp
mesh_terms: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D004617:Embolism / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012161:Retinal Artery; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL