Retinal Vessel Diameters and Physical Activity in Patients With Mild to Moderate Rheumatic Disease Without...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Cardiovascular Science
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Low-grade systemic inflammation in rheumatic diseases contributes to atherosclerosis.
• Vascular dysfunction precedes atherosclerosis and may be mitigated by physical activity (PA).
• Assessing micro- and macrovascular function is crucial in rheumatic disease patients without cardiovascular comorbidities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare micro- and macrovascular function, PA, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in rheumatic disease patients versus controls.
• To identify early vascular changes in rheumatic disease patients lacking cardiovascular comorbidities.
• To explore the relationship between PA, CRF, and vascular function in this population.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-one rheumatic disease patients without cardiovascular comorbidities and 35 controls were studied.
• Retinal microvascular diameters were measured using a Retinal Vessel Analyzer.
• Arterial stiffness (AST) was assessed via applanation tonometry; CRF via peak oxygen consumption; PA via questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Patients exhibited significantly wider retinal venular diameters compared to controls (p=0.01).
• Each weekly hour of PA correlated with a -0.56 μm venular constriction (p=0.04).
• No significant differences in arterial stiffness were found between patients and controls; associations with PA/CRF were dependent on blood pressure.

Conclusions:

• Rheumatic disease patients with mild-to-moderate activity demonstrate retinal microvascular impairment, not large artery stiffness.
• Retinal vessel analysis is a sensitive biomarker for detecting vascular issues, even without traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
• Physical activity shows potential in counteracting early-stage small artery disease in rheumatic conditions.