Obesity and the Microvasculature: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Adrien Boillot, Sophia Zoungas, Paul Mitchell, Ronald Klein, Barbara Klein, Mohammad Kamran Ikram, Caroline Klaver, Jie Jin Wang, Bamini Gopinath, E Shyong Tai, Aljoscha Steffen Neubauer, Serge Hercberg, Laima Brazionis, Seang-Mei Saw, Tien-Yin Wong, Sébastien Czernichow and Study Group Meta-Eye

PLOS ONE, 2013, vol. 8, issue 2, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Overweight and obesity are thought to significantly influence a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, possibly via its effect on the microvasculature. Retinal vascular caliber is a surrogate marker of microvascular disease and a predictor of cardiovascular events. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the association between body mass index (BMI) and retinal vascular caliber. Methods and Findings: Relevant studies were identified by searches of the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 1966 to August 2011. Standardized forms were used for data extraction. Among over 44,000 individuals, obese subjects had narrower arteriolar and wider venular calibers when compared with normal weight subjects, independent of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. In adults, a 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with a difference of 0.07 μm [95% CI: −0.08; −0.06] in arteriolar caliber and 0.22 μm [95% CI: 0.21; 0.23] in venular caliber. Similar results were found for children. Conclusions: Higher BMI is associated with narrower retinal arteriolar and wider venular calibers. Further prospective studies are needed to examine whether a causative relationship between BMI and retinal microcirculation exists.

Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0052708

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052708

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