Background The measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) by Cirrus optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been applied widely in ophthalmology.However,previous assessment of RNFL is based on spatial measurement,while the evaluation based on optical characteristics of OCT can offset the shortcomings of spatial measurement in some eye diseases.Objective This study was to analyze the optical characters of RNFL measured by OCT and its correlation with age in healthy Chinese individuals.Methods Four hundred and six normal healthy subjects were collected in Shanghai Shibei Hospital from June 2011 to June 2012,with the age of 40-83 years old.Macular RNFL was unilateral imaged using a Cirrus OCT device with 5 line raster macular scan mode under the approval of Ethic Committee of Shanghai Shibei Hospital and informed consent of subjects.A customized software was used to measure RNFL optical characters,including absorbance (A value) and attenuate coefficient.The difference of the measured parameters in different genders was compared.The correlations between RNFL optical characters and age were analyzed by linear regression analysis.Results The data of 353 eyes were included in the final outcomes.The RNFL thickness,A value and attenuate coefficient were (35.1 ±4.4) μm,121.6 ±5.3 and 2.06 ±0.25,respectively.RNFL thickness and A value showed significantly negative correlations with age (r=-0.487,-0.571,both at P＜0.01) with the regression equation Y=-0.17 X+45.23 and Y=-0.24 X+ 135.82,while a positive correlation was found between the attenuate coefficient and age (r=0.368,P＜0.01) with the regression equation Y=0.01 X+1.63.RNFL thickness and A value showed weaker positive correlations with OCT signal intensity (rs =0.128,P =0.016;rs =0.284,P＜0.01),but no remarked correlation was seen between the attenuate coefficient and OCT signal intensity (rs =-0.053,P=0.319).Conclusions Age of subjects affects the parameters of OCT optical characteristics in normal populaition.Age-related RNFL change in optical characters of OCT should be considered before concluding optical parameters.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of rs10916581, a common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the promoter region of pre-miR-320b-2, on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk and circulating microRNA-320b (miR-320b) level. To explore potential factors influencing circulating miR-320b level.

METHODSRs10916581 was genotyped in a case-control study with 1 507 CHD cases and 1 379 age- and sex-frequency-matched controls. The cases were consecutively recruited from 3 hospitals (Tongji Hospital, Union Hospital, and Wugang Hospital) in Wuhan city (Hubei, China) between May 2004 and October 2009 and all the controls resided in Wuhan communities. A subgroup of 174 CHD cases and 181 non-diabetes controls without acute infection were randomly selected and their circulating miR-320b levels were detected using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays. The association of rs10916581 with CHD susceptibility was analyzed with multivariable logistic regression model. Generalized linear regression model was used to explore the associations of rs10916581 and some other factors with circulating miR-320b level.

RESULTSIn single-factor logistic regression analysis, no association was found between rs10916581 and CHD risk. After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, total triglyceride, total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (TC/HDL-C), the result did not materially alter(compared with CC genotype, the OR (95%CI) of CHR in the subjects carried CT, TT, CT+TT genotypes were 0.94 (0.76-1.15), 0.99 (0.74-1.33) and 0.95 (0.78-1.16) ). No significant interactions were observed between the conventional risk factors of CHD (age, gender, smoking status, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, CHD family history) and rs10916581 on CHD risk (P > 0.05). Rs10916581 showed no significant association with circulating miR-320b level in cases, controls or total population (β(95%CI) was -0.028 (-0.495-0.440), 0.250 (-0.226-0.727) and 0.134 (-0.218-0.486) respectively, P > 0.05). However, circulating miR-320b level was negatively associated with BMI (β (95%CI) was -0.140 (-0.261--0.020), P = 0.022) while positively associated with TC/HDL(β (95%CI) was 0.620 (0.261-0.979), P = 0.001) in cases, and in total population, its circulating level tended to be lower in diabetes or hypertension patients (β(95%CI) was -1.025 (-1.696--0.354) and -0.594 (-1.138--0.049) respectively, P = 0.003, 0.033 respectively) and was positively associated with TC/HDL-C (β(95%CI) was 0.108 (0.027-0.190), P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONThe common SNP (rs10916581) in the promoter region of pre-miR-320b-2 might have little contribution to the CHD predisposition in Chinese Han population, and it might not affect circulating miR-320b level. Conventional CHD risk factors (BMI, TC/HDL-C, hypertension and diabetes) might have effects on its circulating level.

Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; ethnology ; Coronary Disease ; genetics ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; MicroRNAs ; adverse effects ; blood ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; genetics ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides