Retinal microvascular parameters and cardiovascular health, obesity and inflammation in children and mid-life adults

Abstract

Background The microcirculation makes up approximately three-quarters of the circulatory system but has attracted little attention as a target for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, particularly in early life. Retinal microvascular parameters allow noninvasive assessment of the microcirculation, with adverse parameters (e.g., narrower retinal arterioles, wider venules) predicting CVD events in adults. In children, it is largely unknown when such microvascular changes become evident, their determinants and the underlying mechanisms. Aims In a large population-based sample of Australian children and mid-life adults (their parents), I aimed to determine whether: 1) adverse retinal vascu..