title: Retinal venular calibre is increased in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine retinal vessel calibre in autoimmune rheumatic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease were recruited from a Rheumatology clinic. Retinal vessel calibre was measured from fundus photographs, and summarised as the central retinal artery and vein equivalents (CRAE and CRVE) using a semi-automated computer-assisted method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 124 patients studied had rheumatoid arthritis (n = 76, 61%), systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 17, 14%), psoriatic arthritis (n = 11, 9%) or another rheumatological disease (n = 20, 16%). Retinal venular calibre was increased in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease (+11.6 µm, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 3.8 - 19.3, p = 0.01) compared with other hospital patients, after adjusting for baseline differences. This increase was also present in the subgroup with rheumatoid arthritis (p = 0.01). Patients with a rheumatic disease and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels had wider retinal venules than those with a lower CRP (mean CRVE: 247.8 ± 28.0 versus 216.6 ± 25.3, p < 0.01), and than other hospital patients with increased CRP (mean CRVE: 247.8 ± 28.0 versus 216.4 ± 25.9, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with an autoimmune rheumatic disease have wider retinal venules than other hospital patients. This increase in calibre may be due to the underlying inflammatory activity.
authors: Centre for Eye Research Australia, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Mali
authors: M
authors: Okada
authors: Tien Y
authors: TY
authors: Wong
authors: Ryo
authors: R
authors: Kawasaki
authors: Norasyiqin Binti
authors: NB
authors: Baharuddin
authors: Deb
authors: D
authors: Colville
authors: Russell
authors: R
authors: Buchanan
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Savige
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D014699:Venules / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein