New findings have shown that routine eye screening could also be used for early detection of underlying heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
This is the finding of a study carried out by researchers funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) published recently in Nature Scientific Reports.
NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Cardiology at the University of Leicester, Dr Gaurav Gulsin, said: “In people with type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar levels damage small and large blood vessels around the body, which results in conditions such as diabetic eye disease.
“Routine screening using digital photography to look for blood vessel changes in the eyes has been performed for many years in people with type 2 diabetes. These same photographs can help identify people who may also have changes in the heart.
“When we carry out eye screening we look at the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Damage here makes blood vessels swell, leak or close off, preventing the retina from getting enough oxygen, leading to vision problems.
“We wanted to know if what we can see using digital retinal photography is also signalling underlying structural and functional alterations in the heart, with the aim of catching signs of cardiovascular disease early.”
To do this, 255 patients with type 2 diabetes underwent a number of non-invasive cardiac imaging techniques at Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital to examine the structure and function of their heart.
The results were compared to each patient’s digital retinal photograph.
“We found that the presence of diabetic retinopathy was associated with silent cardiovascular disease, including higher burden of coronary artery disease and signs of early heart failure,” added Dr Gaurav Gulsin.
“This association allows us to suggest that results from routine screening for diabetic retinopathy should also be used as an indication of a patient’s heart health – providing an opportunity for early intervention and an effective alternative to current screening tests.”