Efficacy of Computer-Assisted Measurements for Retinal Artery and Vein in relation to Risk of Stroke

利用定量视网膜图像分析，我们测量了在大坂，秋田和茨木参加健康筛查计划的个人的视网膜动脉和静脉的直径。然后，我们研究了这些定量指标与发生卒中风险的相关性。视网膜小动脉狭窄与中风风险增加有关;与视网膜小动脉直径较大的个体相比，视网膜小动脉直径较小的个体中风风险高4至5倍。这种关联部分独立于传统的Scheie视网膜小动脉硬化分类。目前的研究结果表明，眼底评估中风风险的预测能力可能会得到改善，通过使用拟议的定量视网膜血管除了Scheie的分类，这是广泛使用的健康检查在日本。

Using a quantitative retinal image analysis, we measured the diameter of retinal artery and vein in individuals participated in health screening program in Osaka, Akita, and Ibaraki. Then, we examined the association of these quantitative measures in relation to risk of developing stroke. Retinal arteriolar narrowing was associated with increased risk of stroke; compared with individuals with larger retinal arteriolar diameter, those with smaller retinal arteriolar diameter had 4 to 5-fold higher risk of stroke. This association was partially independent of traditional Scheie’s classification of retinal arteriolosclerosis. The current findings suggest that the predictive ability of the fundus assessment in relation to stroke risk may be improved by using the proposed quantitative retinal vessels in addition to the Scheie’s classification, which is widely used at health checkup in Japan.