title: Prevalence and risk factors of epiretinal membrane in a cohort with cardiovascular disease risk, compared with the Blue Mountains Eye Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of idiopathic and secondary epiretinal membranes (ERM) in a clinical cohort (Australian Heart Eye Study, AHES) and compare to the Blue Mountains Eye Study, and to determine whether associations exist between idiopathic ERM and the extent and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The AHES is an observational study that surveyed 1680 participants who presented to a tertiary referral hospital for the evaluation of potential CAD by coronary angiography. Severity and extent of CAD was assessed using three scoring systems: (1) segment/vessel scores, (2) Gensini and (3) extent scores. Two types of ERM were identified: a more severe form, termed 'preretinal macular fibrosis' (PMF) in which retinal folds were identified; and a less severe form termed 'cellophane macular reflex' (CMR), without visible retinal folds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall prevalence of ERM was 7.0% (n=115), with CMR and PMF each 3.5%. 72.7% of ERM cases were idiopathic (no secondary cause identified). Prevalence of PMF, but not CMR, was significantly higher than the corresponding age-standardised prevalence in the baseline Blue Mountains Eye Study (p<0.001). There was no significant association between extent and severity of CAD and idiopathic ERM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that cardiovascular disease (specifically severity and extent of CAD) is not associated with ERM. However, there may be a greater prevalence of severe ERM (PMF) in a high cardiovascular risk cohort relative to a population-based cohort.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Adam J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liew
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiha
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Aravinda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thiagalingam
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burlutsky
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Bamini
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gopinath
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
keywords: Retina