title: Abnormally high resistive index of central retinal artery by ultrasound color Doppler in patients with viral chronic liver disease: correlation with worsening liver staging.
abstract: Retrobulbar-ocular circulation provides an opportunity to assess the terminal circulation of the arterial cerebral tree. To evaluate whether retrobulbar circulation in patients with chronic liver disease is affected by adaptive mechanisms, we assessed by echo color Doppler, 1. The resistive-index of the central retinal artery, a terminal branch of the ophthalmic artery, and 2. the potential interrelationships with both liver staging and the most important splanchnic Doppler-parameters used to assess portal hypertension. The resistance index (RI) of the central retinal artery was obtained and compared with other classical Doppler parameters known to be affected by portal hypertension. The RI of the central retinal artery (CRA) was higher in cirrhotic patients than in controls or subjects with chronic hepatitis; it correlated with all the Doppler parameters of portal hypertension considered, with plasma renin-activity, and norepinephrine concentrations. Similarly to renal and splanchnic hemodynamics, retinal arterial circulation assessed by duplex Doppler seems to be affected by the histology of liver disease and by the overactivity of vasoconstrictor systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University Medical School, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorrentino
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tarantino
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conca
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ragucci
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrella
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012083:Renin; D009638:Norepinephrine