Link of ocular pseudoexfoliation syndrome and vascular system changes: results from 10-year follow-up study

Abstract

Purpose To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a population-based follow-up study, to determine its link with vascular diseases, and to identify possible risk factors of the PEX. Methods The baseline examination was performed in 2006 on a random sample of 1033 participants from Kaunas city (Lithuania) population. In 2016, a followup study of 686 participants who returned for the examination was conducted. The respondents filled out a questionnaire, an ophthalmological examination was performed, and the presence of vascular diseases was determined by the anamnesis and electrocardiogram evaluation data. Binary univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted with the PEX and vascular diseases as predictors, controlling for age. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of OR were calculated for the risk of new PEX cases. Results During 10 years, the prevalence of the PEX in the study population increased from 10.3 to 34.2%. The rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and IHD combined with stroke were significantly higher in the PEX subjects than in the non-PEX subjects. The risk of the PEX among persons with IHD was, on the average, by 1.5-fold higher, and among those with IHD and stroke, on the average, by 1.6-fold higher as compared to persons without the aforementioned pathologies (accordingly, p = 0.014 and p = 0.010). Conclusion The prevalence of the PEX increased significantly with age. The risk of the PEX was significantly higher among persons with IHD and even higher among persons with IHD and stroke. In the future, a greater understanding of the cardiovascular, metabolic, and environmental components associated with the PEX may lead to more specific lifestylerelated preventive strategies to decrease the disease burden.

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome: Are the eyes the mirror of the heart?

“…The only study that provides long-term follow-up information in PEX patients recently published is the ten-year patient follow-up study with 686 patients, which is conducted by Rumelaitiene et al In this study, it is demonstrated that PEX frequency increased from 10.3% to 34.2% at the end of 10 years and that it is associated with 1.5 times more ischemic heart disease and 1.6 times more ischemic heart disease and stroke in PEX patients. 18 The results of this study suggested that a more detailed cardiovascular evaluation of PEX patients might be needed. From this point of view, the subclinical myocardial dysfunction in strain echocardiography imaging correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease should be kept in mind.…”

“…Although the results of these studies suggest that there might be a weak relationship between PEX and CAD, cardiovascular involvement may be due to accumulation in other cardiac tissues. The only study that provides long‐term follow‐up information in PEX patients recently published is the ten‐year patient follow‐up study with 686 patients, which is conducted by Rumelaitiene et al In this study, it is demonstrated that PEX frequency increased from 10.3% to 34.2% at the end of 10 years and that it is associated with 1.5 times more ischemic heart disease and 1.6 times more ischemic heart disease and stroke in PEX patients 18 . The results of this study suggested that a more detailed cardiovascular evaluation of PEX patients might be needed.…”

“…The results of these studies based on echocardiography have conflicting results in terms of systolic functions, diastolic functions, and subclinical ischemia findings 13–17 . Even though there was no significant impairment in left ventricular (LV) systolic functions, it was detected in long‐term follow‐up studies that it was associated with 1.5‐fold increased cardiovascular (CV) events in recent years 18 …”

“…[13][14][15][16][17] Even though there was no significant impairment in left ventricular (LV) systolic functions, it was detected in long-term follow-up studies that it was associated with 1.5-fold increased cardiovascular (CV) events in recent years. 18 Speckle tracking echocardiography is an echocardiographic modality by which the movements of ultrasound signals are automatically tracked and which allows measurement of myocardial strain and reduces measurement errors compared to tissue Doppler imaging and by which all segments of the myocardium are evaluated. 19 This imaging method offers the advantage of early detection of pathologies that cannot be detected by operator experience or visual assessment.…”

Electrodiagnostic Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Ocular Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome: A Case-Control Study

“…An association between PEX and systemic diseases such as diabetes, ischemic heart disease, systemic hypertension, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis has been discussed [7,8]. Manaviat et al investigated the association between PEX and diabetes.…”