Retinal microvascular signs and functional loss in older persons: the cardiovascular health study.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

We hypothesized that retinal microvascular signs are associated with executive dysfunction, slow gait, and depressive mood, which are characteristic features of microvascular disease affecting frontal subcortical regions of the brain.

Methods

In the Cardiovascular Health Study, 1744 participants (mean age, 78) free of stroke had retinal photographs and carotid ultrasound during the 1997 to 1998 visit. We examined the cross-sectional association of retinal signs with the digit-symbol substitution test (DSST) score, gait speed, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression score, and depressive mood, defined as Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression score >9 or antidepressant use.

Results

After adjusting for potential confounders, retinal s

SUBMITTER: Kim DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3127407 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature