Retinal microvascular abnormalities in different stroke subtypes: A cross-sectional study / The Health Sciences Journal

ABSTRACT

Introduction@#This study aimed to describe retinal microvascular changes in patients diagnosed to have stroke and determine the association between retinal microvascular changes and type of stroke (lacunar and non-lacunar).@*Methods@#This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among stroke patients seen at the Neurology Ward and Neurology Out-Patient Clinic of the UERM Memorial Medical Center. The patients' demographic characteristics and risk factors were obtained through a standardized questionnaire. Retinal photographs of both eyes were taken in eligible patients who consented to join the study. Retinal vascular changes were identified and their association with the type of stroke was determined.@*Results @#Thirty-seven patients, 64% of whom had small artery occlusion type of lacunar stroke, were enrolled in the study. The most prevalent retinal abnormalities for each type of stroke were AV nicking and focal arteriolar narrowing. The prevalence of abnormal retinal findings between patients with lacunar stroke and non-lacunar stroke were compared and showed insufficient evidence to demonstrate a statistical significance between abnormal retinal findings and lacunar stroke.@*Conclusion @#There is no significant association between abnormal retinal findings and lacunar stroke.