7.5 RETINAL VESSEL RESPONSES TO FLICKERING LIGHT PROVOCATION IN A COHORT OF BLACK AND WHITE TEACHERS: THE SABPA STUDY

DOI

10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.051How to use a DOI?

Abstract

Background: Retinal microvascular function can be assessed using flicker light induced provocation (FLIP). Reduced vessel dilation responses to FLIP are noted in various disease conditions. Comparative studies between ethnic groups are scarce, while the importance of different phases of the vessel responses during and following FLIP are not well studied. We compared retinal vessel dilation, constriction and vessel diameter parameters following FLIP in a cohort of black (n=152) and white (n=178) teachers.

Methods: Retinal vessel responses to FLIP were assessed using the Dynamic Vessel Analyzer (IMEDOS Systems, Jena, Germany). Ambulatory blood pressure (BP), anthropometry and blood sampling were performed.

Results: Black participants displayed a better maximum percentage dilation (artery: 4.1±3.5% vs. 3.5±2.0%, p<0.015 vein: 4.2 (2.2–8.7)% vs. 3.7 (1.4–8.0)%, p=0.014) in response to FLIP. Time to maximum artery constriction (Max_Cons) was longer (52.0 (44.0–66.0)s vs. 44.0 (37.0–54.0)s, p<0.001), and end FLIP artery diameter was smaller in the black cohort. In linear regression analysis, artery dilation was generally associated with age, BP, BP medication and artery caliber, and mostly in the black cohort. In the black cohort, artery Max_Cons was not associated with selected cardiometabolic variables, but in the white cohort, was related to age, gamma-glutamyltransferase and no BP medication. A smaller artery diameter post FLIP associated with increased C-reactive protein in both ethnicities.

Conclusions: Black and white participants differed in their retinal vessel response to FLIP. Although certain cardiovascular risk markers were associated with these responses, they may not explain all the differences noted between the groups.

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This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wayne Smith
AU  - Walthard Vilser
AU  - Konstantin Kotliar
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/11/24
TI  - 7.5 RETINAL VESSEL RESPONSES TO FLICKERING LIGHT PROVOCATION IN A COHORT OF BLACK AND WHITE TEACHERS: THE SABPA STUDY
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 63
EP  - 63
VL  - 16
IS  - C
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.051
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.051
ID  - Smith2016
ER  -