Eyes may warn of risk of early death - researchers
A study by Japanese scientists from Kitasato University Hospital has shown that pupil size may indicate an increased risk of death in patients with heart failure. Analysis of data from 870 patients found that those with larger pupils had roughly half the mortality rate of patients with small pupils. The results were published in the journal ESC Heart Failure.
A study by Japanese researchers from Kitasato University Hospital has identified a correlation between pupil size and the risk of death in patients with heart failure. The study involved 870 patients with an average age of 67, hospitalized with acute heart failure. Pupil size was measured using a special device no earlier than seven days after admission. During the follow-up period (median 1.9 years), 131 patients died and 328 were readmitted. Analysis showed that smaller pupil area was associated with higher mortality and more frequent readmissions, even after accounting for other factors. Scientists link this to the autonomic nervous system, which regulates heart rate and pupil size. The results were published in the journal ESC Heart Failure in August 2020. The author emphasizes that pupil size cannot determine an individual's life expectancy, and the results cannot be automatically applied to healthy people.