May 2007
Volume 48, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2007
Does Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing Precede the Long-Term Development of Open-Angle Glaucoma: Blue Mountains Eye Study Findings
B. Taylor; J. Wang; E. Rochtchina; P. Mitchell; Blue Mountains Eye Study
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • B. Taylor
    Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • J. Wang
    Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • E. Rochtchina
    Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • P. Mitchell
    Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • Blue Mountains Eye Study
    Ophthalmology (Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Millennium Institute, Westmead Hospital), University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships B. Taylor, None; J. Wang, None; E. Rochtchina, None; P. Mitchell, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support NHMRC project grants 974159 and 211069
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2007, Vol.48, 3085. doi:
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      B. Taylor, J. Wang, E. Rochtchina, P. Mitchell, Blue Mountains Eye Study; Does Retinal Arteriolar Narrowing Precede the Long-Term Development of Open-Angle Glaucoma: Blue Mountains Eye Study Findings. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2007;48(13):3085.

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Abstract

Purpose:: To assess whether baseline retinal arteriolar narrowing predicts incident open angle glaucoma in an older population.

Methods:: The Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES) examined 3,654 participants aged 49+ years at baseline (1992-4). Retinal photographs were digitised and retinal arteriolar and venular diameters measured. Open angle glaucoma (OAG) was diagnosed from matching visual field defects and optic disc cupping, without reference to intra-ocular pressure (IOP) level. Associations between incident OAG and arteriolar or venular diameter were assessed after adjusting for baseline age, gender, IOP, use of glaucoma medications, vertical disc diameter, cup-to-disc ratio and baseline disc haemorrhage. Vessel diameter was analysed continuously and by tertile.

Results:: After excluding subjects with glaucoma or optic disc abnormalities at baseline or those with incomplete data, 2328 participants seen at the 5- and/or 10-year visits were considered at risk of incident OAG. This developed in 99 eyes of 78 participants (3.4%), at either the 5- or 10-year follow-up exam. After adjusting for age and sex, narrower baseline arteriolar and venular diameter was associated with an increased risk of incident OAG (narrowest vs widest tertile, odds ratio, OR 2.32, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.28- 4.20, p for trend 0.004 for arterioles and OR 1.76, CI 1.01- 3.05, p for trend 0.04 for venules). Each standard deviation (SD) decrease in vessel diameter was associated with an increased risk of incident OAG (OR 1.36 CI 1.07- 1.73 for arterioles and OR 1.28 CI 1.07- 1.73 for venules). After further adjusting for IOP, use of glaucoma medications, vertical disc diameter, cup-to-disc ratio and baseline disc haemorrhage, the associations with arteriolar narrowing remained but became borderline non-significant (OR 1.86, CI 1.00- 3.61, p for trend 0.057 for the lowest vs highest tertile, and OR 1.24, CI 0.94- 1.65 per SD decrease). The association with narrowed venular diameter was no longer present.

Conclusions:: These findings suggest that retinal arteriolar narrowing may precede the development of OAG. This adds to previously reported BMES data which demonstrated a strong cross-sectional association between OAG and retinal arteriolar narrowing.

Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence 
© 2007, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2024 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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