title: Choroidal thickness and retinal vascular caliber correlations with internal carotid artery Doppler variables.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Decreased retinal arteriolar caliber and increased retinal venular caliber have been associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. This study aimed to evaluate correlations of choroidal thickness and retinal vascular caliber measurements with internal carotid artery (ICA) Doppler ultrasound variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional and observational study, 43 eyes and ICAs of 43 healthy volunteers were examined. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography was used to measure subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and retinal vascular caliber. The ICA Doppler ultrasonographic parameters were diameter, flow volume, peak-systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistance index (RI), and pulsatility index (PI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Negative correlations emerged between ICA RI and SFCT (p = 0.017, r = -0.36) as well as between ICA PI and retinal arteriolar caliber (p = 0.015, r = -0.37). A negative linear correlation appeared between ICA diameter and SFCT (p = 0.005, r = -0.42), although ICA diameter and flow volume showed no association with retinal vessel caliber (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Choroidal thickness is negatively correlated with ICA diameter and ICA RI, while retinal arteriolar caliber is inversely related with ICA PI in normal volunteers.
authors: Department of Radiology, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Kadir
authors: K
authors: Agladioglu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Gökhan
authors: G
authors: Pekel
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Veli
authors: V
authors: Citisli
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.
authors: Ramazan
authors: R
authors: Yagci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002829:Choroid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Doppler ultrasound; choroidal thickness; internal carotid artery; optical coherence tomography; retinal vascular caliber