Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39846480›Full record

ArticleActa ophthalmologica2025

Altered retinal vasculature in childhood cancer survivors: Data from the German CVSS-study.

Alexander K Schuster, Anna Maria Voigt, Tamara Jäger, Stefan Nickels, Andreas Schulz, Jörg Faber, Arthur Wingerter, Hiltrud Merzenich, Irene Schmidtmann, Manfred E Beutel and 4 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Acta ophthalmologica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Alexander K SchusterDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Anna Maria VoigtDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5075-7377
Tamara JägerDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Stefan NickelsDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Andreas SchulzPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Jörg FaberDepartment of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Hemostaseology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Arthur WingerterDepartment of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Hemostaseology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Hiltrud MerzenichDepartment of Biomedical Statistics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Irene SchmidtmannDepartment of Biomedical Statistics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Manfred E BeutelDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Thomas MünzelCenter for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Karl J LacknerInstitute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Norbert PfeifferDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Philipp S WildPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Center for Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft FA 1038/2-1&2Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SP 1381/2-1&2Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft WI 3881/2-1&2Stiftung Rheinland-Pfalz für Innovation 961-386261/733
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsChildhood cancer is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in later life. Retinal examination allows to non-invasively observe the vasculature of an end-organ. We observe alterations in long-term childhood cancer survivors (CCS).

methodsIn the Cardiac and Vascular Late Sequelae in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Cancer-Study, 1002 CCS (23-48 years) having neoplasia prior to 15 years of age were prospectively enrolled in a general and ophthalmologic examination including fundus photography. Central retinal vessel equivalents (arterial: CRAE; venous CRVE) were measured and linear regression analysis was computed to compare CCS to controls from the population-based Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) with adjustment for potential cardiovascular and ophthalmological confounders. Differences in cancer types and treatments were explored.

resultsFor 837 CCS (45.3% female), CRAE and CRVE were conducted. Both were smaller in CCS previously having leukaemia, central nervous system tumour, neuroblastoma, renal tumour, malignant bone tumour, soft tissue sarcoma and germ cell tumour than in GHS controls. No difference was found for CCS with prior lymphoma. Previous radiotherapy of head or neck was associated with a smaller CRVE. Higher mean arterial blood pressure and intake of antihypertensive medication were associated with smaller CRAE.

conclusionsRetinal vasculature is altered in CCS leading to smaller retinal arteries and veins. Our finding indicates that childhood cancer and its treatment leads to systemic alterations of the microcirculation on both branches of the vasculature system. While the retinal venous vasculature is altered by radiotherapy, the lower vessel width of the arterial branch is associated with arterial hypertension.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsNeoplasmsRetinal DiseasesRetinal VesselsAdolescentAdultChildFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRisk FactorsYoung Adultarteriovenous ratiocentral retinal arteriolar equivalentcentral retinal venular equivalentchemotherapychildhood cancer survivorsradiotherapy

Identifiers

PMID39846480
PMCPMC12069964

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.