title: Associations between metabolic syndrome and syndrome components and retinal microvascular signs in a rural Chinese population: the Handan Eye Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our purpose was to determine the relationship of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components with retinal microvascular abnormalities in a rural Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Handan Eye Study, a population-based survey, recruited 6,830 (90.4 % of eligible) rural Chinese ≥30 years of age. A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was based on the International Diabetes Federation definition. Retinal microvascular signs and arteriolar and venular diameters were assessed from fundus photographs by graders who were trained at the Retinal Vascular Imaging Centre, University of Melbourne.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjusting for age, gender, and smoking status, 5,519 participants with MetS, or with the specific components of large waist circumference, elevated blood pressure (BP), or elevated fasting blood glucose (FG), were more likely to have retinopathy, arteriovenous nicking, focal arteriolar narrowing, enhanced arteriolar wall reflex, and generalized retinal arteriolar narrowing than those without MetS or the corresponding component. Individuals with elevated triglycerides were significantly more likely to have arteriovenous nicking and retinopathy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that individual components of MetS are associated with different retinal microvascular signs and with changes in retinal arteriolar and venular diameters.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Lab, No. 1 Dongjiao Min Xiang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Tienyin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Ningli
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure; D001824:Body Constitution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids