Prevalence of Gunn's Dots and Associated Systematic Factors in an Adult Population

Abstract

Purpose : To investigate the prevalence of Gunn's dots and associated systemic factors in adult Chinese in a community-based study.

Methods : The Tongren Health Care Study included individuals aged 45+ years and who regularly underwent detailed medical and ophthalmic examinations. Based on the color fundus photographs, Gunn's dots were evaluated by an experienced ophthalmologist. Individuals with eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy, myopic retinopathy, glaucoma or non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy, were excluded from the analysis.

Results : Out of 5845 individuals (male: 2461/42.1%), 1670 (27.5%) individuals were excluded due to ocular diseases and 120 (2.1%) individuals were excluded due to unreadable fundus photographs, so that the study eventually included 4118 participants (mean age: 58.3±9.9 years; range: 45-100 years; male: 1699/41.3%). Gunn's dots were found in 931 participants (729/78.3% bilateral and 202/21.7% unilateral), with a prevalence of 22.6±0.07% (95% confidence interval (CI): 21.4 to 23.9%). The prevalence of Gunn's dots decreased from 34.9±1.6 % in participants aged 45-49 years, to 26.0±1.6 % in those aged 55-59 years, and to 2.1±0.6 % in those aged 70+ years. Gunn's dots were more commonly seen in eyes with higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), with the presence of 0.0%, 10.7±1.7%, 22.5±1.1 %, and 48.6±8.6 % in those participants with an eGFR of less than 30ml/min/1.73m², 60-74ml/min/1.73m², 90-99 ml/min/1.73m² and higher than 115ml/min/1.73m², respectively. In multivariable analysis, the prevalence of Gunn's dots decreased with older age (odds ratio (OR): 0.92; 95%CI: 0.91 to 0.93; P<0.001), and increased with a higher eGFR (OR: 1.01; 95%CI: 1.001 to 1.02; P=0.02) and higher serum concentration of triglycerides (OR:1.10; 95%CI:1.03 to 1.17; P=0.008). It was not significantly associated with gender (P=0.13).

Conclusions : The prevalence of Gunn's dots decreased with older age, lower eGFR and lower serum triglyceride concentrations. These findings may be of help to elucidate the etiology of Gunn's dots and their clinical meaning.

This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.

 

Fig. 1. Gunn’s dots seen as small, glistering, white reflecting dots in a color fundus photograph in a 47-year-old woman.
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Fig.2. Prevalence of Gunn’s dots in Tongren Health Care Study, stratified by age groups (A) and levels of estimated glomerular filtration rate (B).
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