[Effect of the consumption of ethanol on the microcirculation of the human optic nerve head in the acute phase].
OBJECTIVE
The effect of the consumption of ethanol on the circulation of the optic nerve head (ONH) in the human eye in the acute phase and its mechanism were studied.


METHODS
Eleven volunteers drank a bottle of beer (633 ml) with or without ethanol (29.5 g). Normalized blur (NB), a quantitative index of blood flow velocity, was measured in the temporal site of the ONH. NB, blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) were measured before, immediately after, and every 15 minutes for 90 minutes after consumption. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and plasma ethanol concentration were measured before, and 30 and 90 minutes after consumption. Genotyping of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 2 gene was also performed.


RESULTS
NB in the ONH increased significantly from 15 to 45 minutes after consumption of ethanol and the maximum increase was 14% at 15 minutes. IOP was lowered at 90 minutes after consumption, but it was not significant. Mean BP was lowered significantly after 60 minutes. PR and ocular perfusion pressure did not change. A significant correlation was found between plasma ethanol concentration at 30 minutes and maximum NB. NB in the ALDH 2-deficient group was significantly larger from 15 to 45 minutes after consumption than in the proficient group.


CONCLUSIONS
It appeared that the consumption of ethanol can increase the blood flow in the human ONH in the acute phase through decreased resistance in blood vessels induced by acetaldehyde, a metabolite of ethanol.
Kojima
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Japan.
Sugiyama
T
T
Kojima
M
M
Azuma
I
I
Ito
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply*; D011674:Pulse; D013997:Time Factors
D000431:Ethanol; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase