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Updated: Apr 9, 2026
Transcutaneous Microcirculatory Imaging in Preterm Neonates
Published on: December 31, 2015
Cup-to-disc and arteriole-to-venule ratios in preterm birth
J Kim1,2, D Y Choi2, K-A Park2
1Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Stem Cells, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Aims:
To investigate the influence of preterm birth on the optic disc and retinal vessels by measurements of cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio and arteriole-to-venule (A/V) ratio.
Methods:
Eighty-three eyes of 42 preterm births were included. In the age- and sex-matched control group, 83 eyes of 42 full-term births were used. Fundus color photographs were taken. ImageJ software was used to calculate C/D and A/V ratios from the fundus images.
Results:
Fundus photographs were taken at 8.01 ± 2.22 years of age for the preterm group and 8.01 ± 2.13 years of age for the control group. The mean gestational age of the preterm group was 27(4)/7 weeks (range, 24-34 weeks). The preterm group had significantly larger C/D ratio and smaller A/V ratio (mean ± standard deviation: 0.46 ± 0.12 and 0.59 ± 0.08, respectively) than the control group (0.36 ± 0.07 and 0.68 ± 0.07, respectively) after spherical equivalent refractive error was adjusted.
Conclusions:
Preterm birth is significantly associated with larger C/D ratio and smaller A/V ratio. These findings show the effect of preterm birth on the development of optic disc and retinal vessel development.
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