Retinal vessel abnormalities predict coronary artery diseases.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cardiology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Limited data exist on the association between retinal microvascular changes and cardiovascular mortality.
• The direct association between retinal microvascular changes and atherosclerosis in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between retinal microvascular changes and angiographic findings in patients undergoing angiography.
• To determine if retinal atherosclerosis severity predicts the severity of coronary artery disease.

Main Methods:

• Patients referred for angiography had retinal atherosclerosis severity assessed using the Scheie classification.
• Coronary artery disease severity was quantified using the Gensini score.
• Risk factors were collected via questionnaire, and multiple regression analysis was performed.

Main Results:

• A significant association was found between CAD severity and retinal artery atherosclerosis (r = 0.47, p = 0.0001).
• Retinal atherosclerosis scores (Scheie criteria), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking, and age were significant predictors of CAD severity (Gensini score).

Conclusions:

• Fundoscopic changes, indicative of retinal atherosclerosis, may serve as a predictor of coronary artery disease severity.
• Further well-designed studies are necessary to validate these findings and establish the predictive value of retinal microvascular changes for CAD.