Retinal artery lesions and long-term outcome in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Ophthalmology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality.
• Retinal artery lesions, visible during fundus examination, may reflect systemic vascular health.
• The prognostic value of retinal artery lesions in ACS patients remains to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the severity of retinal artery lesions and the long-term prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
• To determine if retinal artery lesion staging is an independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in ACS patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 436 Chinese ACS patients underwent coronary angiography and fundus examinations.
• Patients were categorized into three groups based on retinal artery lesion staging (no lesions,
• The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), including death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, over 3-6 years.

Main Results:

• No significant baseline differences were observed between the groups.
• Patients with advanced retinal artery lesions (≥Stage 2) experienced significantly higher rates of MACCE and all-cause death compared to those with no or less severe lesions.
• Cox regression analysis identified retinal artery lesion staging as an independent predictor of ACS prognosis, alongside traditional risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Staging of retinal artery lesions is a significant independent predictor of long-term outcomes in patients with ACS.
• Fundus examination for retinal artery lesions may offer valuable prognostic information for ACS management.
• Further research can explore the mechanistic link between retinal vascular changes and cardiovascular events.