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Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Baker, ML; Hand, PJ; Wang, JJ; Wong, TY
Published in: Stroke
April 2008

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The retinal and cerebral vasculature share similar anatomic, physiological, and embryological characteristics. We reviewed the literature, focusing particularly on recent population-based studies, to examine the relationship between retinal signs and stroke. Summary of Review- Hypertensive retinopathy signs (eg, focal retinal arteriolar narrowing, arterio-venous nicking) were associated with prevalent stroke, incident stroke, and stroke mortality, independent of blood pressure and other cerebrovascular risk factors. Diabetic retinopathy signs (eg, microaneurysms, hard exudates) were similarly associated with incident stroke and stroke mortality. Retinal arteriolar emboli were associated with stroke mortality but not incident stroke. There were fewer studies on the association of other retinal signs such as retinal vein occlusion and age-related macular degeneration with stroke, and the results were less consistent. CONCLUSIONS: Many retinal conditions are associated with stroke, reflecting possible concomitant pathophysiological processes affecting both the eye and the brain. However, the incremental value of a retinal examination for prediction of future stroke risk remains to be determined.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Stroke

DOI

EISSN

1524-4628

Publication Date

April 2008

Volume

39

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1371 / 1379

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stroke
  • Risk Factors
  • Retinal Diseases
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Humans
  • 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1109 Neurosciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Baker, M. L., Hand, P. J., Wang, J. J., & Wong, T. Y. (2008). Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain. Stroke, 39(4), 1371–1379. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.496091
Baker, Michelle L., Peter J. Hand, Jie Jin Wang, and Tien Y. Wong. “Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain.Stroke 39, no. 4 (April 2008): 1371–79. https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.496091.
Baker ML, Hand PJ, Wang JJ, Wong TY. Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain. Stroke. 2008 Apr;39(4):1371–9.
Baker, Michelle L., et al. “Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain.Stroke, vol. 39, no. 4, Apr. 2008, pp. 1371–79. Pubmed, doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.496091.
Baker ML, Hand PJ, Wang JJ, Wong TY. Retinal signs and stroke: revisiting the link between the eye and brain. Stroke. 2008 Apr;39(4):1371–1379.

Published In

Stroke

DOI

EISSN

1524-4628

Publication Date

April 2008

Volume

39

Issue

4

Start / End Page

1371 / 1379

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Stroke
  • Risk Factors
  • Retinal Diseases
  • Neurology & Neurosurgery
  • Humans
  • 4201 Allied health and rehabilitation science
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 3202 Clinical sciences
  • 1109 Neurosciences
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences