PubMed ID: 16828517
Author(s): Klein R, Klein BE, Moss SE, Wong TY, Sharrett AR. Retinal vascular caliber in persons with type 2 diabetes: the Wisconsin Epidemiological Study of Diabetic Retinopathy: XX. Ophthalmology. 2006 Sep;113(9):1488-98. Epub 2006 Jul 7. PMID 16828517
Journal: Ophthalmology, Volume 113, Issue 9, Sep 2006
PURPOSE To describe retinal vascular caliber and correlates in people with type 2 diabetes.
DESIGN Population-based study.
PARTICIPANTS Thirteen hundred seventy persons diagnosed to have diabetes at or after 30 years of age in an 11-county area in south central Wisconsin from 1980 to 1982.
METHODS Retinal photographs of 7 standard fields were taken; light box grading was done to determine retinopathy severity. Computer-assisted grading was done from a digitized image of field 1 to determine the central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE; arteriolar caliber) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE; venular caliber).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Retinal arteriolar and venular calibers.
RESULTS In multivariable analyses in persons with panretinal photocoagulation excluded, while controlling for refractive error, CRAE was associated independently with age (per 10 years, beta = -2.0 microm), mean arterial blood pressure (BP) (per 10 mmHg, beta = -2.2 microm), smoking status (current vs. never smoked, beta = 5.6 microm), and intraocular pressure (IOP) (per 1 mmHg, beta = 0.2 microm). The CRVE was associated independently with age (per 10 years, beta = -2.5 microm), mean arterial BP (per 10 mmHg, beta = -2.1 microm), smoking status (current vs. never smoked, beta = 11.6 microm), pack-years smoked (per 10 pack-years, beta = 1.0 microm), body mass index (per kg/m2, beta = 0.3 mm), pulse rate (per 10 beats/minute, beta = 1.5 microm), retinopathy severity (per 1 level, beta = 1.05 microm), and IOP (per 10 mmHg, beta = -0.5 microm). Smaller CRAEs and CRVEs were found in eyes with panretinal photocoagulation treatment than in eyes without such treatment.
CONCLUSIONS In persons with type 2 diabetes, variations in retinal vascular caliber are related to various systemic and ocular factors. Understanding these relationships may provide further insights into early retinal vascular changes in diabetes.