The eyes have it? Retinal images in children may show later risk of cardiovascular disease
Poor health in adolescence can be an indicator of an individual’s future risk of cardiovascular disease. What seems like common sense, lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children can lead to structural changes in retinal blood vessels.
"Poor well-being and certain structural changes to the retina are both associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular disease, but few studies have explored the link between the two," wrote Bamini Gopinath, with the Westmead Institute for Medical Research at the University of Sydney in Australia, and colleagues.
The study, published online in Scientific Reports, featured 1,600 students from 11 to 19 years old—821 girls and 779 boys—between 2009 and 2011. Researchers initially assessed HRQoL with a 23-item questionnaire, with follow-up at five years.
Retinal health was measured using photographs of the optic disk and macula in the right eye of participants.
“[W]e show a modest cross-sectional association between lower HRQoL scores with wider retinal arteriolar caliber and narrower retinal venular caliber in a cohort of adolescents,” Gopinath et al. wrote. “In particular, the psychosocial aspects of HRQoL in adolescents showed a significant association with retinal vessel caliber changes. Further, observed associations were more marked in boys compared to girls.”
The study is available for free at Scientific Reports.
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.