A recent study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases explored the correlation between the retinal age gap and the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and found suggestive evidence that the retinal age gap could act as a biomarker for ESKD.
What is the retinal age gap?
Retinal age gap is the difference between chronological age and retinal age based on a deep learning prediction model using fundus photos. Previous studies have found the retinal age gap to be reliably predictive for both mortality and a range of neurodegenerative diseases.
Tell me about the study.
This study reviewed UK Biobank participants and used 80,169 fundus images from 46,969 participants. A total of 19,200 images were used to build the deep learning model, with another 35,864 images used to explore the potential correlation between EKSD and the retinal age gap.
What did they find?
By the study’s conclusion, 115 participants had been diagnosed with ESKD after a median follow-up of 11 years. The authors found that, after correcting for age, gender, and ethnicity, “each 1-year increase in the retinal age gap was independently associated with a 9% increase in the risk of incident ESKD.”
Take home.
Eyecare practitioners have long known the strong relationship between the retina and the kidneys, and this study further demonstrates the association. The authors called for further studies to investigate the correlation and potential for retinal imaging to be an efficient, cost-effective, and non-invasive avenue for kidney screening. (via)