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Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Liew, G; Mitchell, P; Wong, TY; Lindley, RI; Cheung, N; Kaushik, S; Wang, JJ
Published in: J Am Geriatr Soc
October 2009

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.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Am Geriatr Soc

DOI

EISSN

1532-5415

Publication Date

October 2009

Volume

57

Issue

10

Start / End Page

1892 / 1896

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vascular Diseases
  • Retinal Vessels
  • Microvessels
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Female
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Cognition Disorders
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders
 

Citation

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Liew, G., Mitchell, P., Wong, T. Y., Lindley, R. I., Cheung, N., Kaushik, S., & Wang, J. J. (2009). Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc, 57(10), 1892–1896. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02459.x
Liew, Gerald, Paul Mitchell, Tien Yin Wong, Richard I. Lindley, Ning Cheung, Shweta Kaushik, and Jie Jin Wang. “Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment.J Am Geriatr Soc 57, no. 10 (October 2009): 1892–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02459.x.
Liew G, Mitchell P, Wong TY, Lindley RI, Cheung N, Kaushik S, et al. Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Oct;57(10):1892–6.
Liew, Gerald, et al. “Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment.J Am Geriatr Soc, vol. 57, no. 10, Oct. 2009, pp. 1892–96. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02459.x.
Liew G, Mitchell P, Wong TY, Lindley RI, Cheung N, Kaushik S, Wang JJ. Retinal microvascular signs and cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Oct;57(10):1892–1896.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Am Geriatr Soc

DOI

EISSN

1532-5415

Publication Date

October 2009

Volume

57

Issue

10

Start / End Page

1892 / 1896

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vascular Diseases
  • Retinal Vessels
  • Microvessels
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Female
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Cognition Disorders
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders