Overview
- Researchers analyzed retinal images, genetics, and blood biomarkers from more than 74,000 participants across CLSA, GoDARTS, UK Biobank, and PURE.
- Simpler, less branched retinal vessels were linked to higher cardiovascular disease risk and biological aging indicators such as heightened inflammation and shorter lifespan.
- Mendelian randomization strengthened causal inference for inflammaging pathways, spotlighting MMP12 and IgG–Fc receptor IIb as candidate molecular drivers.
- The team proposes retinal imaging as a scalable, non‑invasive marker for vascular aging and risk stratification, with further clinical validation still required.
- Proteomic data came from the international PURE initiative led by PHRI, and the work received funding from CIHR and institutional awards at McMaster and Hamilton Health Sciences.