Three-Year Incidence and Cumulative Prevalence of Retinopathy: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology 2007-06, Vol.143 (6), p.970-976
• Main Authors: Wong, Tien Y, Klein, Ronald, Amirul Islam, F.M, Cotch, Mary Frances, Couper, David J, Klein, Barbara E.K, Hubbard, Larry D, Sharrett, A. Richey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - diagnosis; Atherosclerosis - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol - blood; Cohort Studies; Diabetes; Family medical history; Female; Fibrinogen - metabolism; Glucose; Hemorrhage; Humans; Hyperglycemia - epidemiology; Hypertension; Hypertension - epidemiology; Incidence; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mortality; Older people; Ophthalmology; Photography; Population; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Retinal Diseases - blood; Retinal Diseases - diagnosis; Retinal Diseases - epidemiology; Retinopathies; Risk Factors; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2007.02.020

Purpose To describe the three-year incidence and cumulative prevalence of retinopathy and its risk factors. Design Population-based, prospective cohort study in four US communities. Methods In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, 981 participants had retinal photography of one randomly selected eye at the third examination (1993 to 1995) and three years later at the fourth examination (1996). Photographs were graded on both occasions for retinopathy signs (for example, microaneurysm, retinal hemorrhage, and/or cotton-wool spots). Incidence was defined as participants without retinopathy at the third examination who developed retinopathy at the fourth examination, and cumulative prevalence was defined to include incident retinopathy as well as participants who had retinopathy at both the third and fourth examinations. Results The three-year incidence and cumulative prevalence of any retinopathy in the whole cohort was 3.8% and 7.7%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, incident retinopathy was related to higher mean arterial blood pressure (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0 to 2.3, per standard deviation increase in risk factor levels), fasting serum glucose (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.1), serum total cholesterol (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0, 2.0), and plasma fibrinogen (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.9). Among persons without diabetes, the three-year incidence and cumulative prevalence of nondiabetic retinopathy was 2.9% and 4.3%, respectively. Incident nondiabetic retinopathy was related to higher mean arterial blood pressure (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.3) and fasting serum glucose (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.3). Among persons with diabetes, the three-year incidence and cumulative prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 10.1% and 27.2%, respectively. Conclusions Retinopathy signs occur frequently in middle-aged people, even in those without diabetes. Hypertension and hyperglycemia are risk factors for incident retinopathy.