Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz

Logo MUG-Forschungsportal

Gewählte Publikation:

SHR Neuro Krebs Kardio Lipid Stoffw Microb

Vaes, AW; Spruit, MA; Goswami, N; Theunis, J; Franssen, FME; De, Boever, P.
Analysis of retinal blood vessel diameters in patients with COPD undergoing a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
Microvasc Res. 2022; 139: 104238 Doi: 10.1016/j.mvr.2021.104238
Web of Science PubMed FullText FullText_MUG

 

Co-Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz
Goswami Nandu
Altmetrics:

Dimensions Citations:

Plum Analytics:

Scite (citation analytics):

Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Regular exercise positively affects cardiovascular physiology, translating into the adequate capacity of microvascular blood vessels to dilate in response to acute bouts of exercise. However, this remains unstudied in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who often suffer from cardiovascular comorbidity. Therefore, we studied acute changes in retinal blood vessel diameters in response to high-intensity exercise in patients with COPD. The effect of an exercise-based 8-week pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program was evaluated. We consider changes in these retinal metrics as an indicator of microvascular reactivity. METHODS: Demographics and clinical characteristics of 41 patients were collected at the start and end of the PR program. Patients performed a high-intensity exercise test on a cycle ergometer at the start and end of the PR program, during which we collected retinal images. Fundus images were taken immediately before and 0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min after the ergometer test. Widths of retinal blood vessels, represented as Central Retinal Arteriolar and Venular Equivalents (CRAE and CRVE), were calculated. RESULTS: Thirty patients with COPD completed the study protocol (57% males; mean age: 64 ± 7 years; mean FEV1: 45 ± 17%pred). We did not observe a change in retinal vessel widths following the ergometer test at the start of the PR program. This null result remained at the end of the 8-week PR program. Our observations did not alter when considering responders and non-responders to PR. CONCLUSION: Retinal blood vessel diameters of patients with COPD did not change following an exercise test on an ergometer. The exercise-based PR program of eight weeks did not counteract the blunted retinal microvascular response.

Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Microvasculature
Microvascular reactivity
Retinal imaging
Pulmonary rehabilitation
© Med Uni Graz • Impressum