Associations of long-term cumulative C-reactive protein and glycoprotein acetyls concentrations in childhood, adolescence and adulthood with adulthood retinal microvascular structure - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Associations of long-term cumulative C-reactive protein and glycoprotein acetyls concentrations in childhood, adolescence and adulthood with adulthood retinal microvascular structure

Authors: Repo, Oskari; Juonala, Markus; Niinikoski, Harri; Rovio, Suvi; Mykkänen, Juha; Cheung, Carol Y.; Ala-Korpela, Mika; Vaahtoranta-Lehtonen, Hanna; Nevalainen, Jaakko; Jula, Antti; Kähönen, Mika; Lehtimäki, Terho; Laitinen, Tomi P.; Rönnemaa, Tapani; Viikari, Jorma; Raitakari, Olli; Tapp, Robyn; Pahkala, Katja

Publisher: Elsevier

Publication year: 2026

Journal: Atherosclerosis

Article number: 120595

Volume: 412

ISSN: 0021-9150

eISSN: 1879-1484

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120595

Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access

Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2025.120595

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/505611701

Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY

Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF

Abstract

Backgroung and aims

Inflammation is associated with cardiovascular disease development and microvascular dysfunction. The aim of the present study is to test the hypothesis that long-term exposure to chronic inflammation in childhood and adulthood is associated with adverse retinal microvascular structure in young and mid-adulthood.

Methods

We analyzed data derived from the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP) and longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS). In STRIP, fundus photos were taken in young adulthood (aged 26 years), and in YFS in mid-adulthood (aged 34–49 years). Retinal microvascular measures were derived in both cohorts (arteriolar and venular diameters and tortuosity; additionally, fractal dimensions in STRIP). Cumulative exposure as the area under the curve for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA), and other conventional cardiovascular risk factors was determined over a 15- and 17-year period in STRIP, and a 10-year period in YFS. Overall, retinal microvascular and cumulative hsCRP and/or GlycA were available for 344 STRIP and 1211 YFS participants, thus forming the cohort of the present study.

Results

In both cohorts, cumulative hsCRP was associated with wider venules when adjusted for sex (and age in YFS), and further for related cardiovascular risk factors. In young adulthood (STRIP), higher exposure to cumulative hsCRP was associated with decreased venular tortuosity, whereas in mid-adulthood (YFS), the association was inverse. Cumulative hsCRP was not associated with arteriolar measures whereas cumulative GlycA showed no significant association with any retinal microvascular measures.

Conclusions

Long-term cumulative hsCRP exposure was associated with wider venules in young and mid-adulthood, whereas the associations with venular tortuosity were inconsistent. Wider retinal venules might act as a marker for cumulative inflammatory burden.

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Funding information in the publication:
The STRIP study has been supported by the Academy of Finland (grants 206374, 294834, 251360, 275595, 307996 and 322112), the Juho Vainio Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, Special Governmental grants for Health Sciences Research (Turku University Hospital), the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, the Finnish Medical Foundation, and the Turku University Foundation.
The YFS has been financially supported by the Academy of Finland: grants 356,405, 322,098, 286,284, 134,309 (Eye), 126,925, 121,584, 124,282, 129,378 (Salve), 117,797 (Gendi), and 141,071 (Skidi); the Social Insurance Institution of Finland; Competitive State Research Financing of the Expert Responsibility area of Kuopio, Tampere and Turku University Hospitals (grant X51001); Juho Vainio Foundation; Paavo Nurmi Foundation; Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research; Finnish Cultural Foundation; The Sigrid Juselius Foundation; Tampere Tuberculosis Foundation; Emil Aaltonen Foundation; Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation; Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation; Diabetes Research Foundation of Finnish Diabetes Association; EU Horizon 2020 (grant 755320 for TAXINOMISIS and grant 848,146 for To Aition); European Research Council (grant 742927 for MULTIEPIGEN project); Tampere University Hospital Supporting Foundation; Finnish Society of Clinical Chemistry; the Cancer Foundation Finland; pBETTER4U_EU (Preventing obesity through Biologically and bEhaviorally Tailored inTERventions for you; project number: 101080117); CVDLink (EU grant nro. 101137278) and the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. K.P. is supported by Academy of Finland research fellowship (322,112). M.A.-K. was supported by a research grant from the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, and the Research Council of Finland (grant no. 357183).