The Eye-image Features of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Assed: A prospective, observational study of traditional Chinese medicine combined with modern medicine

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease (CHD) significantly impacts human health. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) suggests a possible correlation between eye-image and CHD, but this relationship has not been fully explored in Western medicine. PURPOSE We aim to investigate the potential causal relationship between eye-image features and CHD, as examined by coronary angiography (CAG). METHODS The study selected patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology from November 15, 2021, to February 27, 2022. The selected patients were divided into two groups based on their CAG findings: the CHD group (at least one coronary lesion stenosis≥ 50%) and the control group (lesion stenosis<50%) RESURTS The final analysis included 342 patients out of a total of 426 participants, of these, 165 patients (48.2%) were diagnosed with CHD. The study found that certain characteristics in the left region 5(L5) and right region ( R5) were associated with CHD, including L5 pink dark speckle (OR: 4.143, 95%CI: 1.135-15.124, P =0.031), L5 vascular tortuosity (OR: 0.234, 95%CI: 0.077-0.71, P =0.010) R5 dark red blood vessels (known as Xue mai in TCM) (OR: 1.683, 95%CI: 1.035-2.738, P =0.036), and R5 yellowish mounds (OR: 2.083, 95%CI: 1.221-3.554, P = 0.007). Multivariate regression analyses showed that L5 vascular tortuosity had a negative correlation with CHD. CONCLUSION Our study revealed that four types of eye-image features, namely pink dark speckle, vascular tortuosity, dark red blood vessels, and yellowish mounds are associated with CHD. Among these features, vascular tortuosity showed a negative correlation with CHD, which could potentially aid in the diagnosis of the disease. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Clinical Trial This study was supported and funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (81827806 and 62135002 to B.Y.? ### Funding Statement This study was supported and funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (81827806 and 62135002 to B.Y.? ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: the ehtics committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (Harbin,China) I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes We declare that there are no conflicts of interest in the publication and content of this manuscript. * AI : artificial intelligence CAG : Coronary angiography CABG : coronary artery bypass grafting CHD : coronary heart disease Cr : creatinine EF : ejection fraction HbAlC : glycosylated hemoglobin HDL : high-density lipoprotein LDL : low-density lipoprotein TCM : traditional Chinese medicine PCI : percutaneous coronary intervention PVD : peripheral vascular disease T-Ch : total cholesterol TG : total triglyceride.