title: Retinal arteriolar wall signs and early age-related macular degeneration: the singapore malay eye study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether retinal arteriolar wall signs are associated with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Singapore Malay Eye Study (SiMES) is a population-based eye survey including 3,280 (78.7% response) persons aged 40 to 80 years. Retinal arteriolar wall signs and AMD were assessed from photographs by trained technicians, according to standardized protocols. Data on major cardiovascular risk factors and blood pressure were collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3,280 participants, 2,541 had photographs that were gradable for both AMD and retinal arteriolar wall signs. Early AMD was present in 76 subjects. There were no significant associations of any retinal arteriolar wall signs with early AMD. For specific AMD signs, retinal arteriolar wall opacification was associated with presence of soft distinct drusen (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06, 2.35). This association was most significant among non-statin users (OR 1.90, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.93). Focal arteriolar narrowing was associated with retinal hypopigmentation (OR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.73). Arteriovenous nicking was not associated with soft drusen (OR 0.89, 95% CI: 0.51, 1.57), hyperpigmentation (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.22, 1.08), or hypopigmentation (OR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.46, 1.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retinal arteriolar wall signs are not consistently associated with early AMD. We report a new association of retinal arteriolar wall opacification and the presence of soft drusen. This finding could support the hypothesis of a link between lipids and drusen formation.
authors.affiliation: Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore. gemmy.cheung.c.m@snec.com.sg
authors.forename: Chui Ming Gemmy
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Carol Yim-Lui
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Erica Liu
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Jie Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tien Yin
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001160:Arterioles / Q000473:pathology; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol