Determinants and risk factors for central corneal thickness in Japanese persons: the Funagata Study.

PURPOSE: To examine the association between glucose metabolism and central corneal thickness (CCT) in Japanese adults. METHODS: A sub-sample of 322 Japanese adults participating in the Funagata Study was included in this analysis. CCT was measured using a specular microscope. Glucose metabolism was examined using 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Mean differences in CCT (µm) and 95% confidence intervals were estimated with univariate, age-sex-adjusted and multivariate models using multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The mean (± standard deviation) age of the study sample was 63.7 ± 11.4 years and 44% were men. The mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour post-load plasma glucose (2hPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) concentrations were 96.8 ± 12.6mg/dl, 123.6 ± 41.2mg/dl and 5.3 ± 0.4%, respectively. CCT was normally distributed in the study sample, and the mean CCT was 544.7 ± 34.6µm. After multivariate adjustment, characteristics associated with increased CCT were 2hPG and HbA1c concentrations, impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes, body weight or body mass index and current smoking. CONCLUSION: Impaired glucose tolerance, diabetes, obesity and current smoking are associated with increased CCT. Additional studies are required to examine whether interventions to affect these characteristics may reduce CCT.

Is retinal vasculature change associated with risk of obesity? Longitudinal cohort study in Japanese adults: The Funagata study.

UNLABELLED: Aims/Introduction: To examine the association between baseline retinal vessel caliber change and prevalence, and 5-year incidence of obesity in the adult Japanese population of the Funagata study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 900 individuals (age ≥ 35 years) who underwent systemic and retinal examinations in the Funagata study during 2000-2002, 584 (64.8%) were not obese as defined by body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2), and considered at risk of incident obesity. In 2005-2007, 454 patients returned for 5-year follow-up examination (52.9%). Incidence of overweight was defined as subjects who were not overweight at baseline examination (BMI < 23 kg/m(2)), but overweight (BMI ≥ 23 to <25 kg/m(2)) at follow up, and that of obesity as subjects who were not obese at baseline examination (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)), but obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) at follow up. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity at baseline was 35.1% (316/900); there was a cross-sectional association between wider retinal venular diameters and obesity (adjusted odds ratio [OR] per +1 standard deviation (SD) change: 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.35) after adjusting for age and sex. Cumulative incidence of obesity between baseline and 5-year follow up was 10.6% (32/303). Although the risk of incident overweight or obesity was higher in persons with wider retinal venular caliber, there were no statistically significant associations between baseline venular caliber and 5-year incidence of obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Although we found significant cross-sectional associations of retinal venodilation with the prevalence of overweight, we could not confirm that retinal venodilation preceded the development of obesity in this population. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2010.00086.x, 2011).

Retinal arteriolar narrowing predicts 5-year risk of hypertension in Japanese people: the Funagata study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether retinal arteriolar narrowing, possibly reflecting peripheral arteriolar vasoconstriction, predicts risk of hypertension in Japanese persons. METHODS: The Funagata study is a population-based cohort study of Japanese aged 35+ years. Baseline examinations were conducted in 2000-2002 among 1058 persons without hypertension. Of these, 581 persons (55%) returned for a 5-year follow-up examination, with data on 563 available for analyses. Retinal photographs taken at the baseline visits were assessed for retinal arteriolar or venular diameter and retinal vessel wall signs using standardized protocols. Hypertension was defined if systolic blood pressure > or =140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure > or =90 mmHg or from self-reported clinical diagnosis, including the use of antihypertensive medications. Incident hypertension was defined as an absence of hypertension at baseline but presence of hypertension at the follow-up visit. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-three subjects (34.3%) had developed hypertension at 5-year follow-up. After adjusting for age, gender, baseline blood pressure and other risk factors, narrower retinal arterioles at baseline was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident hypertension (odds ratio per standard deviation decrease in arteriolar diameter: 1.53, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-2.18). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the concept that arteriolar narrowing, evident in the retina, signals an increased risk of developing hypertension in Japanese persons.