Retinopathy and Mortality

OBJECTIVE. We evaluated the specific association between retinopathy and all-cause mortality among a national sample of the broader U.S. adult population. METHODS. Data from the 2005–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to identify 4,777 adults with complete data regarding screening for nonproliferative retinopathy using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grading criteria, as well as objective retinal imaging assessments using the Canon Non-Mydriatic Retinal Camera CR6-45NM. Participants were not included if they had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, heart attack, or stroke at the baseline assessment. RESULTS. Both mild and moderate/severe retinopathy were associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in unadjusted and adjusted models. In the adjusted model, and when compared to those with no retinopathy, those with mild and moderate/severe retinopathy, respectively, had 81% (hazard ratio [HR] 1.81, 95% CI 1.29–2.55) and 314% (HR 4.14, 95% CI 1.77–9.69) increased risks of all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION. In this nationally representative sample of adults, those with mild or moderate/severe retinopathy were at increased risk of all-cause mortality.