Eye Abnormality Associated With Increased Heart Disease Death

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 12 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Abnormalities of the retina, the light sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, are associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease, finds research published ahead of print in the Heart.

A higher than normal risk was found in people without diabetes, a disease that is known to boost the risk of coronary artery disease, the findings show.

The Australian researchers assessed the presence and severity of retinal disease (retinopathy) among almost 3000 adults, using retinal photos. Two hundred of these participants had been diagnosed with diabetes.

In all, 57 of those with diabetes had retinopathy, a prevalence of just under 29%. One in 10 of those without diabetes also had it.

The research team then tracked the number of people dying from coronary heart disease over a period of 12 years, during which time the death toll was 353.

People with diabetes and moderate retinopathy were more than six times as likely to die of coronary heart disease as those without retinopathy, after adjusting for other influential factors.

And those without diabetes were 50% more likely to die of coronary heart disease if they had retinopathy, equivalent to the same level of risk conferred by a diagnosis of diabetes alone.

This finding is important, say the researchers: one in 10 of the population without diabetes has retinal disease, which can be detected by proper eye examination.

The links between retinopathy and coronary heart disease are not clear, say the authors. Retinopathy may signal generalised microvascular disease and inflammation, leading to the artery hardening characteristic of ischaemic heart disease, they suggest.

Retinopathy predicts coronary heart disease mortality
Online First Heart 2008
doi: 10.1136/hrt.2008.146670
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Heart

Heart (formerly British Heart Journal) is an international peer review journal that keeps cardiologists up to date with advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Topics covered include coronary disease, electrophysiology, valve disease, imaging techniques, congenital heart disease (fetal, paediatric and adult), heart failure, surgery, and basic science. Each issue contains an extensive continuing professional education section (Education in Heart) and JournalScan highlighting important papers from outside the cardiology literature.

British Heart Journal