PURPOSE: To assess the associations among age, gender, hypertension, atherosclerosis, combined hypertension and atherosclerosis, and the number of perifoveal retinal arterioles and venules in the general elderly population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among subjects ranging in age from 55 to 74 years who participated in the population-based Rotterdam Study. Perifoveal vessels were counted in a masked way by two observers within 1500 microm from the foveola on fundus transparencies of 34 cases with hypertension, 55 with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), 27 with hypertension and LEAD, and 194 control subjects without either condition. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to study the associations. RESULTS: The mean number of perifoveal vessels was 12.0 (SD 2.0). The number of perifoveal vessels decreased with age in all groups, with an average of 0.4 per 5 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2, 0.6, P=0.001). In women, the number of perifoveal vessels was on average 0.8 (95% CI, 0.3, 1.2, P=0.002) lower than in men. Patients with hypertension had a significantly lower number of vessels compared with control subjects: mean reduction 1.0 (95% CI, 0.2, 1.7), independent of age and sex. Patients with LEAD had 1.0 (95% CI, 0.4, 1.6) fewer perifoveal vessels, whereas the number in those with hypertension and LEAD was 1.8 (95% (CI, 1.0, 2.6) lower. Additional adjustment for established cardiovascular risk factors did not materially alter the findings. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing age, female gender, systemic hypertension, and LEAD were associated with a lower number of perifoveal arterioles and venules in the elderly.
PURPOSE: To assess the associations among age, gender, hypertension, atherosclerosis, combined hypertension and atherosclerosis, and the number of perifoveal retinal arterioles and venules in the general elderly population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among subjects ranging in age from 55 to 74 years who participated in the population-based Rotterdam Study. Perifoveal vessels were counted in a masked way by two observers within 1500 microm from the foveola on fundus transparencies of 34 cases with hypertension, 55 with lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), 27 with hypertension and LEAD, and 194 control subjects without either condition. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to study the associations. RESULTS: The mean number of perifoveal vessels was 12.0 (SD 2.0). The number of perifoveal vessels decreased with age in all groups, with an average of 0.4 per 5 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2, 0.6, P=0.001). In women, the number of perifoveal vessels was on average 0.8 (95% CI, 0.3, 1.2, P=0.002) lower than in men. Patients with hypertension had a significantly lower number of vessels compared with control subjects: mean reduction 1.0 (95% CI, 0.2, 1.7), independent of age and sex. Patients with LEAD had 1.0 (95% CI, 0.4, 1.6) fewer perifoveal vessels, whereas the number in those with hypertension and LEAD was 1.8 (95% (CI, 1.0, 2.6) lower. Additional adjustment for established cardiovascular risk factors did not materially alter the findings. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing age, female gender, systemic hypertension, and LEAD were associated with a lower number of perifoveal arterioles and venules in the elderly.