Newly imaging biomarker of hypertension-related vascular and kidney damage: The ophthalmic artery index

Background and Aims : Ophthalmic artery resistive index (RI-OA) is associated with atherosclerotic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of RI-OA and hypertension-related vascular and kidney damage.Methods: Two-hundred and eighty hypertensive patients underwent evaluation of RI-OA, carotid atherosclerosis and level of 24 h albuminuria.Results: Albuminuria and carotid atherosclerosis were positively associated with RI-OA independently of other cardiovascular risk factors. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis allowed us to calculate a cut-off value of RI-OA >0.625, which would be suspicious about the existence of atherosclerotic disease.Conclusions: The ophthalmic vascular circulation allows to study connections between macro- and microcirculation in vivo. RI-OA could be a useful marker for a better stratification of the risk of developing kidney and cardiovascular disease. Background and Aims : Ophthalmic artery resistive index (RI-OA) is associated with atherosclerotic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of RI-OA and hypertension-related vascular and kidney damage. Methods: Two-hundred and eighty hypertensive patients underwent evaluation of RI-OA, carotid atherosclerosis and level of 24 h albuminuria. Results: Albuminuria and carotid atherosclerosis were positively associated with RI-OA independently of other cardiovascular risk factors. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis allowed us to calculate a cut-off value of RI-OA >0.625, which would be suspicious about the existence of atherosclerotic disease. Conclusions: The ophthalmic vascular circulation allows to study connections between macro- and microcirculation in vivo. RI-OA could be a useful marker for a better stratification of the risk of developing kidney and cardiovascular disease.