Cardiovascular risk predicted by retinal microvascular structure

Recently published in European Journal of Internal Medicine, a clinical study at the University of Brescia measured the wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR) of small arteries in the retina of patients, using a rtx1 AO camera, and assessed the occurrence of cardiovascular events over the next 7 years.

“The present study is the first to directly demonstrate a possible prognostic value for retinal arteriole WLR measured by AO. In our population of 237 normotensive subjects and hypertensive patients, a WLR of retinal arterioles > 0.28 is associated with a worse event-free survival. “

 

 

Article reference: Ciuceis, C. D., Rosei, C. A., Malerba, P., Rossini, C., Nardin, M., Chiarini, G., Famà, F., Lemoli, M., Baresi, M., Petelca, A., Bortoluzzi, C., Porteri, E., Salvetti, M., Muiesan, M. L., Rosei, E. A., & Rizzoni, D. (2023). Prognostic significance of the wall to lumen ratio of retinal arterioles evaluated by adaptive optics in humans. European Journal of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2023.10.035.