Retinal microvascular signs and risk of stroke: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Small-vessel disease contributes to the pathophysiology of stroke, and retinal microvascular signs have been linked to the risk of stroke. We examined the relationship of retinal signs with incident stroke in a multiethnic cohort. Methods: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a prospective cohort study that enrolled participants without clinical cardiovascular diseases from 6 US communities between 2000 and 2002. Of the participants, 4849 (71.2%) had fundus photography performed in 2002 to 2004. Retinopathy and retinal vessel caliber were assessed from retinal images. Stroke risk factors including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, carotid artery inti..