Key result
Higher peripheral SBP linked to ~3.8 μm narrower retinal arteriolar diameter per SD.
Why the study?
The association of retinal arteriolar and venular diameters with central versus peripheral blood pressure was unclear.
Cross-Sectional (n=514)
Single-blind
No
Mean Difference: -3.77 (95% CI -4.96–-2.6)
p-value: p=<0.0001
Peripheral BP links to retinal arteriolar narrowing without central advantage; confirms associations yet leaves open prospective validation.
Background:We assessed association of retinal arteriolar and venular diameters with central and peripheral blood pressure (BP).Methods: We post-processed retinal photographs from 514 participants randomly recruited from a Flemish population (mean age, 50.6 years; 50.8% women), using IVAN software to generate retinal arteriolar (CRAE) and venular (CRVE) equivalents.We measured peripheral BP by mercury sphygmomanometry and central BP by tonometry at the carotid artery.We applied multivariable-adjusted regression analysis.Results: For peripheral vs. central BP (mmHg) average levels were 126.6 vs. 122.1 systolic and 79.4 vs. 79.6 diastolic, and 95.1 vs. 97.9 and 47.2 vs. 42.5 for mean and pulse pressure, respectively.CRAE and CRVE averaged 153 mm and 219 mm.Effect sizes (mm) for CRAE for 1 À SD increase in peripheral vs. central BP were À3.77 vs. À3.52 systolic, À3.16 vs. À3.13diastolic,
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Gu et al. (2014) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy and hypertensive participants (n=514). Peripheral and central blood pressure was evaluated on Change in central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) per 1-SD increase in peripheral systolic blood pressure (MD -3.77 μm, 95% CI -4.96 to -2.60, p=<0.0001). Higher systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures were associated with narrower central retinal arterioles, with a 1-SD increase in peripheral systolic blood pressure decreasing the arteriolar diameter by 3.77 μm, showing no incremental value for central over peripheral measurements.
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