Retinal microvascular associations with cardiometabolic risk factors differ by diabetes status

By Editor
22nd July 2022
Eyecare, Research Type 2 diabetes

A new study has outlined the modifying effect type 2 diabetes has on cardiometabolic risk factor associations with retinal microvascular architecture. 

The UK Biobank study examined the association of retinal vessel morphometry with BP, body composition and biochemistry, and to determine whether these associations differ by diabetes status.

During the study, 68,550 participants underwent non-mydriatic retinal photography, BP and body composition measurements and haematological analysis.

The associations between retinal vessel morphology and cardiometabolic risk factors by diabetes status were examined using multilevel linear regression.

The academics found that those with type 2 diabetes had significantly more tortuous venules and wider arteriolar diameters compared with those without.

The associations between venular tortuosity and cardiometabolic risk factors differed according to diabetes status (p interaction <0.01) for total fat mass index, HbA1c, C-reactive protein, white cell count and granulocyte count, the findings have reported.

According to researchers, the occurrence of preclinical disease processes may be a sign of impaired autoregulation due to hyperglycaemia, which has been suggested to play a pivotal role in the development of type 2 diabetes-related microvascular complications.

To access the entire research study, click here.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

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