Can the retinal microvasculature offer clues to cardiovascular risk factors in early life?

Abstract

Adulthood cardiovascular diseases (CVD) burdening in adulthood have been suggested to have possible predisposition early in life. We aimed to systematically review the literatures on retinal microvasculature among paediatric population in relation to a range of environmental and systemic changes. Papers with quantitative retinal vascular assessment and epidemiological design were reviewed.

Conclusion: This review supports the theory that major vascular diseases have pathological predisposition early in life by providing morphological evidence on retinal microcirculation in vivo.

Keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors; Early life; Environmental factors; Retinal microvasculature; Systemic factors.