RETINAL BLOOD FLOW CORRELATES TO AQUEOUS VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR IN CENTRAL RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION.
OBJECTIVE
As laser speckle flowgraphy can measure blood flow distribution in the ocular fundus, the authors analyzed the relationship between retinal blood flow and aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration in central retinal vein occlusion.


METHODS
This prospective observational study examined 45 eyes of 45 patients with central retinal vein occlusion before treatment. Blood flow in large vessels around and at the optic disk, aqueous VEGF concentration, and arteriovenous passage time were examined. Blood flow was evaluated as mean blur rate by laser speckle flowgraphy.


RESULTS
Fluorescein angiography found 20 ischemic and 25 nonischemic type eyes. Aqueous VEGF concentration in the ischemic type was significantly higher than that in the nonischemic type (P = 0.01). Arteriovenous passage time was significantly correlated to the logarithm of the aqueous VEGF concentration (P = 0.0001). Mean blur rate of the affected eye/mean blur rate of the unaffected eye of the ischemic type was significantly lower than the nonischemic type (P = 0.039). Additionally, mean blur rate was significantly correlated both to the logarithm of the aqueous VEGF concentration (P < 0.0001) and to the arteriovenous passage time (P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Laser speckle flowgraphy may be useful for predicting aqueous VEGF concentration and severity of central retinal vein occlusion.
*Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; and †Yaizukogawa Eye Clinic, Yaizu, Japan.
Yoshihisa
Y
Yamada
Kiyoshi
K
Suzuma
Makiko
M
Matsumoto
Eiko
E
Tsuiki
Azusa
A
Fujikawa
Takafumi
T
Harada
Takashi
T
Kitaoka
D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014792:Visual Acuity
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A