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Retinal Microvascular Signs and Cognitive Impairment
Author(s) -
Liew Gerald,
Mitchell Paul,
Wong Tien Yin,
Lindley Richard I.,
Cheung Ning,
Kaushik Shweta,
Wang Jie Jin
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02459.x
Subject(s) - medicine , odds ratio , retinal , population , retinopathy , diabetic retinopathy , confidence interval , diabetes mellitus , blood pressure , mini–mental state examination , ophthalmology , surgery , pediatrics , disease , cognitive impairment , endocrinology , environmental health
OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between retinal microvascular signs, as a proxy for cerebral microvascular disease, and cognitive impairment. DESIGN: Cross‐sectional population‐based study. SETTING: Urban population survey PARTICIPANTS: One thousand nine hundred eighty‐eight persons aged 49 to 97. MEASUREMENTS: All participants underwent retinal photography and had the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) administered by trained personnel. Retinal photographs were masked and graded for retinopathy signs (microaneurysms, hemorrhages, hard exudates, cotton wool spots), and retinal vessel calibers were measured using a validated computer‐assisted method. Cognitive impairment was defined as an MMSE score of 23 or less, in line with other epidemiological studies. RESULTS: Cognitive impairment was present in 121 participants (6.1%). In the total population, after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, smoking, cardiovascular disease, education, and other factors, retinal venular dilation was associated with cognitive impairment (odds ratio (OR)=1.8, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=1.0–3.2, P =.03). In persons with hypertension, retinopathy signs (adjusted OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.0–3.2, P =.05) and retinal venular dilation (adjusted OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.2–6.1, P =.01) were associated with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Retinal microvascular signs are associated with significant cognitive impairment, particularly in older persons with hypertension. These findings suggest that cerebral microvascular changes may contribute to cognitive deterioration.