Retrobulbar and peripheral capillary blood flow in hypercholesterolemic subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To assess retrobulbar blood flow velocities and finger nailfold capillary blood flow velocities (two readily accessible vascular beds) in subjects with primary hypercholesterolemia before and during lipid-lowering therapy.


METHODS
Retrobulbar blood flow velocities and finger nailfold capillary blood flow velocities were assessed in 15 hypercholesterolemic subjects and in 15 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects. In addition, the change in blood flow velocities after a 3-month period of lipid-lowering therapy was evaluated.


RESULTS
No alterations in retrobulbar blood flow velocities after lipid-lowering therapy could be observed in hypercholesterolemic patients. Nailfold capillary blood flow velocity was slower in hypercholesterolemic subjects than control subjects immediately after local cooling (P = .0052), but this vascular dysregulation did not improve after lipid-lowering therapy (P = .58).


CONCLUSIONS
Blood flow alterations, potentially caused by perturbed vascular endothelial function, may occur in nailfold capillaries of hypercholesterolemic subjects. Such alterations were not seen in retrobulbar vessels, and blood flow measures did not change during lipid-lowering therapy.
Senn
B
B
University Eye Clinic Basel, Switzerland.
Orgul
S
S
Keller
U
U
Dickermann
D
D
Dubler
B
B
Vavrecka
J
J
Gasser
P
P
Kaiser
H J
HJ
Flammer
J
J
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002196:Capillaries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D019842:Ciliary Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009880:Ophthalmic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009915:Orbit / Q000098:blood supply; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019821:Simvastatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D019821:Simvastatin