Eye Adult Changes in Thought (Eye ACT) Study: Design and Report on the Inaugural Cohort
Article type: Research Article
Authors: Lee, Cecilia S.a; b; * | Ferguson, Alina N.a; b; c | Gibbons, Laura E.d | Walker, Rode | Su, Yu-Rue | Krakauer, Chloee | Brush, Michaelf | Kam, Jasonf | Larson, Eric B.d | Arterburn, David E.e | Crane, Paul K.d | Eye ACT Study Group:1
Collaborators: Takahashi, Missy | Zhang, Yi | Jiang, Yu | Wu, Yue | Cooper, Julie | Pope, Beth | Blazes, Marian | Lee, Aaron Y. | Lee, Michael L. | Wang, Ruikang | Cronkite, David | Hess, Chantelle | Bowers, Will | Schaaf, Beverly | Gray, Regan | Guerrero, Linda | Sankaran, Sundary | Gatto, Nicole
Affiliations: [a] Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA | [b] The Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center, Seattle, WA, USA | [c] University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA | [d] Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA | [e] Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA | [f] Kaiser Permanente Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Cecilia S Lee, MD, MS, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington, 750 Republican St., Building F, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Tel.: +1 206 520 8308; E-mail: [email protected].
Note: [1] List of Eye ACT study group members: Missy Takahashi, Yi Zhang, Yu Jiang, Yue Wu, Julie Cooper, Beth Pope, Marian Blazes, Aaron Y. Lee, Michael L. Lee, Ruikang Wang, David Cronkite, Chantelle Hess, Will Bowers, Beverly Schaaf, Regan Gray, Linda Guerrero, Sundary Sankaran, Nicole Gatto.
Abstract: Background:Conflicting research on retinal biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) is likely related to limited sample sizes, study design, and protocol differences. Objective:The prospective Eye Adult Changes in Thought (Eye ACT) seeks to address these gaps. Methods:Eye ACT participants are recruited from ACT, an ongoing cohort of dementia-free, older adults followed biennially until AD/ADRD, and undergo visual function and retinal imaging assessment either in clinic or at home. Results:330 participants were recruited as of 03/2023. Compared to ACT participants not in Eye ACT (N = 1868), Eye ACT participants (N = 330) are younger (mean age: 70.3 versus 71.2, p = 0.014), newer to ACT (median ACT visits since baseline: 3 versus 4, p < 0.001), have more years of education (17.7 versus 16.2, p < 0.001) and had lower rates of visual impairment (12% versus 22%, p < 0.001). Compared to those seen in clinic (N = 300), Eye ACT participants seen at home (N = 30) are older (77.2 versus 74.9, p = 0.015), more frequently female (60% versus 49%, p = 0.026), and have significantly worse visual acuity (71.1 versus 78.9 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters, p < 0.001) and contrast sensitivity (–1.9 versus –2.1 mean log units at 3 cycles per degree, p = 0.002). Cognitive scores and retinal imaging measurements are similar between the two groups. Conclusions:Participants assessed at home had significantly worse visual function than those seen in clinic. By including these participants, Eye ACT provides a unique longitudinal cohort for evaluating potential retinal biomarkers of dementia.
Keywords: Adult Changes in Thought (ACT), age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) score, contrast sensitivity, Eye Adult Changes in Thought (Eye ACT), ophthalmology, optical coherence measurement, prospective study, visual acuity
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-240203
Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 100, no. 1, pp. 309-320, 2024
