| Summary: | Objectives: Microvascular arterial remodelling has been linked with target organ damage and cardiovascular events. Our objective was to link retinal arterial remodelling assessed using a new interferometry technique (adaptative optics, AO) and ascending aortic function and geometry.
Methods: 9 patients (median age 43, range 30 to 58, 60% male) with primary hypertension underwent AO to measure retinal arteries wall to lumen ratio (WLR) index and a cardiovascular magnetic resonance exam (1.5T Siemens) of the proximal aorta. Ascending aortic diameters and strain were calculated using the ARTFUN software and an automated segmentation of SSFP cine acquisitions acquired in the axial view, during breath-holding, at the level of pulmonary bifurcation perpendicular to the aorta. Aortic strain was used to calculate aortic distensibility in each subject: distensibility (AD) =strain/cPP where cPP is the central pulse pressure obtained by tonometry (sphygmocor®). Home Blood pressure (hBP) records were used to define BP levels
Results: Characteristics of the population are shown in table 1. In univariate analysis, retinal WLR was linked to systolic hBP (r= 0.53, p= 0,006) and weight (r= 0.38, p= 0,03) but not with any other risk factors. AD was linked to age (r= 0.53, p= 0,006), systolic hBP (r= 0.53, p= 0,006) and tobacco status. In multivariate analysis, the only significant determinants remaining were age for AD and systolic hBP for WLR.
Conclusion: In young hypertensives, AD and WLR are representative of 2 different arterial aging factors: age for AD and hypertension for WLR.
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