{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T01:18:09Z","timestamp":1790644689697,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,30]],"date-time":"2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1745971200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Screening, primary prevention, and the early identification of high-risk individuals are crucial for minimising the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of retinal microvascular features with myocardial dysfunction and CVD risk factors in a group of patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to patients with newly diagnosed isolated arterial hypertension and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: We performed a single-centre cross-sectional study on 214 individuals divided into three groups: a group of 99 cases diagnosed with significant CAD, a group of 61 cases with newly diagnosed isolated arterial hypertension, and a control group of 54 cases with no confirmed cardiovascular pathology. Colour optic disc-centred retinal photographs were taken in all cases, and the following parameters were quantified using MONA REVA 3.0.0 software (VITO Health, Mol, Belgium): central retinal arteriolar equivalent, central retinal venular equivalent, arteriovenous ratio, fractal dimension, tortuosity index, and lacunarity. Univariable and multivariable statistical analyses were performed to assess changes in retinal microvascular features in CVD. Results: Dyslipidaemia (p = 0.009), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.008), and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.003) were negatively associated while left ventricular (LV) strain (0.043) was positively associated with the CRAE. In the case of the CRVE, the coronary Agatston score (p = 0.016) proved a positive and HDL cholesterol (p = 0.018) a negative association. A lower fractal dimension was associated with the presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.006), dyslipidaemia (p = 0.011), and a history of acute myocardial infarction (p = 0.018), while a higher fractal dimension was associated with increased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p = 0.006) and medical treatment (p = 0.005). Lacunarity was higher in patients of female gender (p = 0.005), with decreased HDL (p = 0.014) and LVEF (0.005), and with increased age (p &lt; 0.001) and Agatston score (p = 0.001). The vessel tortuosity index increased with LV strain (p = 0.05), medical treatment (p = 0.043), and male gender (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Retinal microvascular features may serve as additional risk stratification tools in patients with CVD, particularly CAD, pending prospective validation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina61050834","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,4]],"date-time":"2025-05-04T20:42:37Z","timestamp":1746391357000},"page":"834","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Retinal Microvascular Profile of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"61","author":[{"given":"Alexandra Cristina","family":"Rusu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4225-1935","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raluca Ozana","family":"Chistol","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"\u201cProf. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu\u201d Cardiovascular Diseases Institute, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Grigore","family":"Tinica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"\u201cProf. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu\u201d Cardiovascular Diseases Institute, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Furnica","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Institute of Forensic Medicine, 700455 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Simona Irina","family":"Damian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Institute of Forensic Medicine, 700455 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sofia Mihaela","family":"David","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, \u201cGrigore T. Popa\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Institute of Forensic Medicine, 700455 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klara","family":"Br\u00eenzaniuc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karin Ursula","family":"Horvath","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, 540142 Targu Mures, Romania"},{"name":"County Emergency Clinical Hospital of Targu Mures, 540136 Targu Mures, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Statista (2024, October 02). Leading Causes of Death by Rate Worldwide. 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