Greenspace exposure and the retinal microvasculature in healthy adults across three European cities
File(s)
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence points to the beneficial role of greenspace exposure in promoting cardiovascular health. Most studies have evaluated such associations with conventional cardiovascular endpoints such as mortality, morbidity, or macrovascular markers. In comparison, the microvasculature, a crucial compartment of the vascular system where early subclinical signs of cardiovascular problems appear, has not been studied in association with greenspace exposure. The current study assessed the association between surrounding greenness and microvascular status, as assessed by retinal vessel diameters. METHODS: This study included a sample of healthy adults (n = 114 and 18-65 years old) residing in three European cities [Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), and London (UK)]. The exposures to greenspace at the home and work/school locations were characterized as average surrounding greenness [normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)] within buffers of 100 m, 300 m, and 500 m. The central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) were calculated from fundus pictures taken at three different time points. We developed linear mixed-effect models to estimate the association of greenspace exposure with indicators of retinal microvasculature, adjusted for relevant individual and area-level covariates. RESULTS: We observed the most robust associations with CRVE. Higher levels of greenspace at work/school were associated with smaller retinal venules [(seasonal NDVI) 300m: 3.85, 95%CI -6.67,-1.03; 500m: 5.11, 95%CI -8.04, -2.18]. Findings for surrounding greenness and CRAE were not conclusive. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an association of greenspace exposure with better microvascular status, specifically for retinal venules. Future research is needed to confirm our findings across different contextual settings.
Date Issued
2024-09
Date Acceptance
2024-08-20
Citation
Health and Place, 2024, 89
ISSN
1353-8292
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
Health and Place
Volume
89
Copyright Statement
Copyright© 2024 Elsevier Ltd. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39236517
Subjects
Cardiovascular risk factors
Green space
Microvasculature
Retinal microcirculation
Retinal vessel diameters
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
103342
Date Publish Online
2024-09-04