Abstract

DO.13.13

Retinal Vessel Diameters and risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality

de Jong P. T. V. M.^1,2,3, Ikram M. K.^1,4, Heeringa J.¹, Vingerling J. R.^1,5, Witteman J. C. M.¹, Breteler M. M. B.¹, Pols  H. A. P.^1,6, Stricker B. H.C.¹, Hofman A.^1
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, ⁴Department of Neurology, ⁵Department of Ophthalmology, ⁶Department of Internal Medicine, ErasmusMC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 
²The Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience KNAW, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ³Department of Ophthalmology, Academic Medical Centre AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Objective: To study the risk of variations in retinal vessel diameters on mortality and its causes.
Methods: In a cohort aged 55 years and over summary retinal arteriolar and venular diameters were measured in a semi-automated way. From 5674 participants gradable fundus pictures were available at baseline. After a mean follow-up of 11.1 years 2020 participants died and we obtained the cause of death in 99.9% up till January 1^st 2005.
Results: Hazard ratios (HRs) per standard deviation (SD) of arteriolar narrowing were not related to all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. However, HRs per SD increase in venular diameters were 1.18 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.25) for all-cause mortality under age 75 years. In this age range similar HRs for venular dilatation were 1.28 (95%CI 1.10-1.50) for death due to pulmonary embolism and cardiomyopathy, 1.71 (1.19-2.46) due to other cardiovascular mortality, 1.33 (1.03-1.71) to senility and cachexia, and 1.38 (1.10-1.75) to gastrointestinal death. Above age 75 years venular dilatation was associated with stroke: HR 1.20 (1.00-1.43). No associations were found for death due to cancer, trauma or suicide, and other neurologic diseases.
Conclusions: Retinal generalized venular dilatation is independently associated with all-cause as well as cause-specific mortality.

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