Biological Retinal Age Predicts Fractures
New study says AI-based retinal imaging has potential to be used as a screening tool for osteoporosis risk
Objective:
To evaluate whether retinal aging could serve as a non-invasive biomarker for skeletal health.
Approach:
Key Findings:
- Higher RetiAGE scores were associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) and worse T-scores in the PIONEER cohort.
- Each standard deviation increase in RetiAGE was linked to significantly increased fracture risk metrics.
- In the UK Biobank cohort, higher retinal biological age independently predicted incident osteoporosis over a mean follow-up of 12.2 years.
- Participants in the highest RetiAGE quartile had a 40% higher risk of developing osteoporosis compared to those in the lowest quartile.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
- The RetiAGE algorithm was trained in a Korean population, which may affect generalizability across different ethnicities.
- The study focused on association rather than real-world screening implementation.
Conclusion:
