Relationship between optic nerve head and finger blood flow.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between optic nerve head (ONH) and finger blood flow in subjects with and without a primary vascular dysregulation (PVD).


METHODS
ONH blood flow and finger blood flow was measured in 15 subjects with PVD and in 24 subjects without PVD. PVD was defined as being present if it was detected in patient history as well as by nailfold capillaromicroscopy. PVD was defined as being absent if the patient history for PVD was negative and the results of nailfold capillaromicroscopy were negative. Scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) was used to measure ONH and finger blood flow. Finger temperature was measured in all subjects using a contact sensor.


RESULTS
ONH blood flow is significantly related to finger blood flow in subjects with PVD (p<0.01), but not in subjects without a PVD. Subjects with PVD had a significantly lower finger skin temperature in comparison to those without PVD (p<0.01)


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicates a relationship between ONH and finger blood flow in subjects with PVD. This might be an indirect sign of a disturbed autoregulation of ocular blood flow in PVD subjects.
Mozaffarieh
Maneli
M
University Eye Clinic, Basel, Switzerland.
Osusky
Roman
R
Schotzau
Andreas
A
Flammer
Josef
J
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001831:Body Temperature; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009262:Nails / Q000098:blood supply; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors