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Ageing effect on flicker‐induced diameter changes in retinal microvessels of healthy individuals
Author(s) -
Seshadri Swathi,
Ekart Aniko,
Gherghel Doina
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/aos.12786
Subject(s) - ageing , retinal , ophthalmology , flicker , medicine , optometry , computer science , operating system
Purpose To compare flicker‐induced retinal vessel diameter changes in varying age groups with low cardiovascular risk. Methods Retinal vascular reactivity to flicker light was assessed by means of dynamic retinal vessel analysis in 57 participants aged 19–30 years, 75 participants aged 31–50 years and 62 participants aged 51–70 years participants. Other assessments included carotid intima–media thickness (c‐ IMT ), augmentation index ( AI x), blood pressure profiles, blood lipid metabolism markers and Framingham risk scores ( FRS ). Results Retinal arterial dilation amplitude ( DA ) and postflicker percentage constriction ( MC %) were significantly decreased in the oldest group compared to the middle‐aged (p = 0.028; p = 0.021) and youngest group (p = 0.003; p = 0.026). The arterial constriction slope (Slope AC ) was also decreased in the oldest group compared to the youngest group (p = 0.027). On the venous side, MC % was decreased in the middle‐aged and oldest groups in comparison with the youngest group (p = 0.015; p = 0.010, respectively). Additionally, men exhibited increased arterial DA (p = 0.007), and percentage dilation ( MD %, p < 0.001) in comparison with women, but only in the youngest age group. Both AI x and c‐ IMT scores increased with age (both p < 0.001); however, no correlations were found between the observed differences in the measured retinal vascular function and systemic parameters. Conclusion In individuals with low cardiovascular risk, there are age‐related differences in flicker‐induced retinal vessel diameter changes throughout the entire functional response curve for arteries and veins. Gender differences mainly affect the arterial dilatory phase and are only present in young individuals.