title: Hypertension is associated with narrower retinal arteriolar calibre in persons with and without coronary artery disease.
abstract: The aims of this study were to investigate independent associations between hypertension and retinal vessel calibre in a high cardiovascular risk cohort and to determine whether these associations also exist in patients without coronary artery disease (CAD). The Australian Heart Eye Study is an observational study that surveyed 1680 participants presenting to a tertiary referral hospital for the evaluation of potential CAD by coronary angiography. Hypertension was defined as systolic >140 mm Hg, diastolic >90 mm Hg or treated (use of antihypertensive medications). Retinal arteriolar and venular calibres were measured from retinal photographs. CAD was quantified using severity (Gensini) and extent scores. Subanalyses were performed for people with and without CAD and for men and women. A total of 1114 participants had complete data on hypertension, coronary vessel evaluation and retinal vessel measurements and were included in cross-sectional analyses. Among persons with CAD, those with hypertension (compared with without) had narrower retinal arteriolar calibre (mean arteriolar calibre difference 2.1 μm, P=0.02), adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, smoking status and fellow vessel calibre. This association was also present among persons without CAD (mean difference 5.0 μm, P=0.04). Stratification by sex indicated that women with hypertension had marginally narrower retinal arterioles compared with normotensive women (multivariable-adjusted P=0.04). No significant association between hypertension and retinal arteriolar calibre was observed in men (P=0.13). No significant differences in retinal venular calibre were observed (P>0.05). In conclusion, in both subjects with and without CAD, hypertension was independently associated with narrower retinal arterioles.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: A J H
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Plant
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chiha
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Phan
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liew
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thiagalingam
authors.affiliation: Centre for Heart Research, Westmead Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kovoor
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burlutsky
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Institute, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gopinath
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001160:Arterioles / Q000473:pathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010781:Photography; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents