Study examines relationship between narrow central retinal arteriolar and blood pressure in children

Using standardized protocols, retinal vessel diameters and blood pressure were measured in children aged 6 to 8 years and again 4 years later.

Children with narrower central retinal arteriolar at baseline developed higher systolic blood pressure at follow-up and children with increased systolic or diastolic blood pressure at baseline developed narrower central retinal arteriolar at follow-up.

The authors concluded that the results “give good evidence for a bivariate temporal relationship between [blood pressure] and microvascular health in children.”

 Reference

Lona G, Endes K, Köchli S, et al. Retinal vessel diameters and blood pressure progression in children. Hypertension. 2020; https://doi.org/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.14695.