With a growing elderly population in the European Union, age-related diseases associated with unhealthy aging pose increasing public health challenges, including a loss of independence and heightened societal burdens. The Semmelweis Study, a prospective occupational cohort study in Hungary, seeks to identify determinants of unhealthy aging, focusing on the complex relationship between lifestyle, environmental, occupational factors, and the development of chronic age-associated diseases, including age-related vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). The primary objective of this pilot study was to establish a robust, high-throughput assessment methodology to comprehensively evaluate both peripheral and cerebrovascular health to provide a solid foundation for the forthcoming Semmelweis Study framework. The study involved 49 participants aged 23 to 87 years, and it assessed multi-domain cognitive performance through an automated battery of tests (CANTAB). Vascular health was comprehensively evaluated using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), static and dynamic retinal vessel analysis (SVA, DVA), and measurements of vascular stiffness. The retinal microvasculature, which closely mirrors the cerebral circulation in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, provided a unique window for examination. Optical imaging through SVA and DVA enables the identification of structural and functional changes in the central nervous system’s microcirculation, which are highly relevant to the pathogenesis of VCI. Subsequently, the collected measures were integrated into vascular health indices using principal component analysis (PCA) and the relationship to the age and cognitive status of study participants was explored. These comprehensive vascular health indices demonstrated a correlation not only with age but also with cognitive performance. This methodology holds promise for providing novel insights into the intricate interplay between vascular and cognitive health within the context of the Semmelweis Study.

随着欧盟老年人口的增长，与不健康老龄化相关的年龄相关疾病带来了越来越多的公共卫生挑战，包括丧失独立性和社会负担加重。Semmelweis 研究是匈牙利的一项前瞻性职业队列研究，旨在确定不健康老龄化的决定因素，重点关注生活方式、环境、职业因素与慢性年龄相关疾病（包括年龄相关性血管认知障碍 （VCI））的发展之间的复杂关系。这项试点研究的主要目标是建立一种稳健的高通量评估方法，以全面评估外周和脑血管健康，为即将到来的 Semmelweis 研究框架提供坚实的基础。该研究涉及 49 名年龄在 23 至 87 岁之间的参与者，它通过自动电池测试 （CANTAB） 评估了多领域认知表现。使用激光散斑对比成像 （LSCI） 、血流介导的扩张 （FMD） 、静态和动态视网膜血管分析 （SVA、DVA） 以及血管硬度测量对血管健康状况进行全面评估。视网膜微血管系统在解剖学、生理学和病理生理学上密切反映了脑循环，为检查提供了一个独特的窗口。通过 SVA 和 DVA 进行光学成像能够识别中枢神经系统微循环的结构和功能变化，这些变化与 VCI 的发病机制高度相关。随后，使用主成分分析 （PCA） 将收集到的措施整合到血管健康指数中，并探讨了与研究参与者的年龄和认知状况的关系。 这些综合血管健康指数不仅与年龄相关，还与认知能力相关。这种方法有望在 Semmelweis 研究的背景下为血管和认知健康之间错综复杂的相互作用提供新的见解。