Diabetic retinopathy and estimated cerebrospinal fluid pressure. The Beijing Eye Study 2011

PLoS One. 2014 May 1;9(5):e96273. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096273. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Purpose: The cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) is a major determinant of central retinal vein pressure and thus of retinal capillary pressure. We tested the hypothesis whether prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy are associated with CSFP.

Methods: The population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6 ± 9.8 years. A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed including fundus photography for the assessment of diabetic retinopathy according. Based on a previous study with lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) measurements, CSFP was calculated as CSFP[mmHg] = 0.44xBody Mass Index[kg/m(2)]+0.16 Diastolic Blood Pressure[mmHg]-0.18xAge[Years]-1.91.

Results: In binary regression analysis, presence of diabetic retinopathy was significantly associated with higher levels of HbA1c (P<0.001; regression coefficient B:0.25; odds ratio (OR):1.28; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.15,1.43), higher blood concentration of glucose (P<0.001; B:0.40;OR:1.49;95%CI:1.36,1.63), longer known duration of diabetes mellitus (P<0.001; B:0.14;OR:1.15; 95%CI:1.11,1.19), higher systolic blood pressure (P<0.001; B:0.03;OR:1.03;95%CI:1.02,1.04), lower diastolic blood pressure (P<0.001; B:-0.06;OR:0.94;95%CI:0.91,0.97), and higher CSFP (P = 0.002; B:0.13;OR:1.14;95%CI:1.05,1.24). Severity of diabetic retinopathy was significantly associated with higher HbA1c value (P<0.001; standardized coefficient beta: 0.19; correlation coefficient B: 0.07;95%CI:0.05,0.08), higher blood concentration of glucose (P<0.001; beta:0.18;B:0.04;95%CI:0.04,0.05), longer known duration of diabetes mellitus (P<0.001; beta:0.20;B:0.03;95%CI:0.02,0.03), lower level of education (P = 0.001; beta:-0.05;B:-0.02;95%CI:-0.03,-0.01), lower diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.002; beta:-0.08;B:-0.001;95%CI:-0.004,-0.001), higher systolic blood pressure (P = 0.006; beta:0.06;B:0.001;95%CI:0.000,0.001), and higher CSFP (P = 0.006; beta:0.06;B:0.006;95%CI:0.002,0.010).

Conclusions: Higher prevalence and severity of diabetic retinopathy were associated with higher estimated CSFP after adjusting for systemic parameters. Higher CSFP through a higher retinal vein pressure may lead to more marked retinal venous congestion and vascular leakage in diabetic retinae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure*
  • China
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / metabolism*
  • Diabetic Retinopathy / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • hemoglobin A1c protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Chinese State Natural Sciences Fund (81170890) and the National Key Technology R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (Nos. 2012BAH05F05 and 2013BAH19F04). The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg within the funding programme Open Access Publishing. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.