title: Retinal Vessel Diameters and Their Relationship with Cardiovascular Risk and All-Cause Mortality in the Inter99 Eye Study: A 15-Year Follow-Up.
abstract: Purpose. To describe associations between retinal vessel diameters and cardiovascular risk markers and mortality.Methods. The present study included 908 persons aged 30 to 60 years. Vessel diameters were expressed as central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) and central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE). Multiple linear regression analyses and Cox regression models were used.Results. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that narrower CRAE was associated with higher systolic blood pressure, age, and higher HDL cholesterol, whereas wider CRAE and CRVE were associated with smoking. Narrower CRVE was associated with higher HDL cholesterol. In an age-adjusted model, associations between wider CRVE and risk of ischemic heart disease were found (P< 0.001). Wider CRVE was associated with all-cause mortality (HR = 2.02,P= 0.033) in a model adjusted for age, gender, and blood pressure. However, the association was not statistically significant after additional adjustment for smoking.Conclusions. The associations between retinal vessel diameters and known cardiovascular risk factors were confirmed. All-cause mortality was not associated with retinal vessel diameters when adjusting for relevant confounders.
authors.affiliation: Center of Eye Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4116-9542
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drobnjak
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Inger Christine
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Munch
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Prevention and Health, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glümer
authors.affiliation: Steno Diabetes Center, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faerch
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kessel
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.affiliation: Center of Eye Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Nina C B B
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6743-5282
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Veiby