BACKGROUND/AIMS: Flicker-light induced retinal vessel dilatation (FID), a marker of microvascular endothelial function, has been shown to be blunted in sedentary cardiovascular risk patients (SR) as well as healthy physically active individuals (HA). This study aimed to quantify the retinal myogenic response to blood pressure (BP) peaks and its effects on consecutive FID for differentiation of microvascular health. METHODS: Ten HA and eleven SR with a previously established restriction of arteriolar FID (aFID) (<2.2%) were invited in order to assess BP-induced myogenic constriction following a standardized handgrip task and a consecutive FID. BP was measured beat-to-beat. RESULTS: The complete dataset of nine HA (3 female, mean age 65 years) and nine SR (5 female, mean age 61 years) individuals was analyzed. The central retinal arteriolar diameter equivalent (CRAE) was 183 ± 11 μm for HA and 176 ± 20 μm for SR. Initial baseline aFID was 1.6 ± 0.4% in HA and 1.6 ± 0.7% in SR. Systolic (p = 0.334) and diastolic (p = 0.245) BP increase following the handgrip task was in the range of 20-30% and comparable in both groups. BP increase was followed by a significantly higher arteriolar (-2.9 ± 1.3% vs. -1.3 ± 0.6%, p < 0.01) myogenic constriction in HA compared to SR. Moreover, in the consecutive assessment of FID directly after the BP-induced vessel constriction, aFID (4.1 ± 2.0% vs. 1.6 ± 0.9%, p < 0.01) was higher in HA compared to SR. CONCLUSION: Initial baseline aFID was blunted in HA and SR. Retinal myogenic constriction was impaired in SR compared to HA. The consecutive aFID after BP-induced myogenic constriction recovered in HA but remained blunted in SR. Additional assessment of retinal myogenic constriction needs to be considered to improve CV risk stratification and reduce false-positive findings of endothelial dysfunction in otherwise healthy active individuals. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03986892 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03986892).
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Flicker-light induced retinal vessel dilatation (FID), a marker of microvascular endothelial function, has been shown to be blunted in sedentary cardiovascular risk patients (SR) as well as healthy physically active individuals (HA). This study aimed to quantify the retinal myogenic response to blood pressure (BP) peaks and its effects on consecutive FID for differentiation of microvascular health. METHODS: Ten HA and eleven SR with a previously established restriction of arteriolar FID (aFID) (<2.2%) were invited in order to assess BP-induced myogenic constriction following a standardized handgrip task and a consecutive FID. BP was measured beat-to-beat. RESULTS: The complete dataset of nine HA (3 female, mean age 65 years) and nine SR (5 female, mean age 61 years) individuals was analyzed. The central retinal arteriolar diameter equivalent (CRAE) was 183 ± 11 μm for HA and 176 ± 20 μm for SR. Initial baseline aFID was 1.6 ± 0.4% in HA and 1.6 ± 0.7% in SR. Systolic (p = 0.334) and diastolic (p = 0.245) BP increase following the handgrip task was in the range of 20-30% and comparable in both groups. BP increase was followed by a significantly higher arteriolar (-2.9 ± 1.3% vs. -1.3 ± 0.6%, p < 0.01) myogenic constriction in HA compared to SR. Moreover, in the consecutive assessment of FID directly after the BP-induced vessel constriction, aFID (4.1 ± 2.0% vs. 1.6 ± 0.9%, p < 0.01) was higher in HA compared to SR. CONCLUSION: Initial baseline aFID was blunted in HA and SR. Retinal myogenic constriction was impaired in SR compared to HA. The consecutive aFID after BP-induced myogenic constriction recovered in HA but remained blunted in SR. Additional assessment of retinal myogenic constriction needs to be considered to improve CV risk stratification and reduce false-positive findings of endothelial dysfunction in otherwise healthy active individuals. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03986892 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03986892).
Authors: Konstantin E Kotliar; Ines M Lanzl; Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss; Diana Sitnikova; Mohammad Ali; Katharina Blume; Martin Halle; Henner Hanssen Journal: Microvasc Res Date: 2010-11-19 Impact factor: 3.514
Authors: Daniel J Green; Nicola Rowley; Angela Spence; Howard Carter; Greg Whyte; Keith George; Louise H Naylor; N Timothy Cable; Ellen A Dawson; Dick H J Thijssen Journal: Med Sci Sports Exerc Date: 2013-01 Impact factor: 5.411
Authors: M K Ikram; F J de Jong; M J Bos; J R Vingerling; A Hofman; P J Koudstaal; P T V M de Jong; M M B Breteler Journal: Neurology Date: 2006-05-09 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: Lukas Streese; Abdul W Khan; Arne Deiseroth; Shafaat Hussain; Rosa Suades; Andre Tiaden; Diego Kyburz; Henner Hanssen; Francesco Cosentino Journal: Eur J Prev Cardiol Date: 2019-10-15 Impact factor: 7.804
Authors: Kevin McGeechan; Gerald Liew; Petra Macaskill; Les Irwig; Ronald Klein; Barbara E K Klein; Jie Jin Wang; Paul Mitchell; Johannes R Vingerling; Paulus T V M de Jong; Jacqueline C M Witteman; Monique M B Breteler; Jonathan Shaw; Paul Zimmet; Tien Y Wong Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2009-11-01 Impact factor: 4.897
Authors: Sara B Seidelmann; Brian Claggett; Paco E Bravo; Ankur Gupta; Hoshang Farhad; Barbara E Klein; Ronald Klein; Marcelo Di Carli; Scott D Solomon Journal: Circulation Date: 2016-09-28 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Lukas Streese; Joséphine Gander; Justin Carrard; Christoph Hauser; Timo Hinrichs; Arno Schmidt-Trucksäss; Konstantin Gugleta; Henner Hanssen Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-06-06 Impact factor: 3.006