Feasibility of assessment of conjunctival microvascular hemodynamics in unilateral ischemic stroke.
Since the internal carotid artery supplies blood to both the eye and the brain, ocular microvascular hemodynamics can be altered due to ischemic stroke. The purpose of the current study was to establish the feasibility of conjunctival microcirculation imaging for detection of inter-ocular differences in microvascular hemodynamics in subjects with unilateral ischemic stroke. Conjunctival microcirculation imaging was performed in both eyes of 15 healthy control subjects and 12 subjects following unilateral ischemic stroke. Diameter and axial blood velocity were measured in multiple conjunctival venules of each eye. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to determine the effects of stroke (control vs. stroke) and side of stroke (ipsilateral vs. contralateral) on conjunctival diameter and axial blood velocity. There was no significant main effect of stroke on conjunctival diameter (P=0.7) or conjunctival axial blood velocity (P=0.9). There was no significant main effect of side of stroke on conjunctival diameter (P=0.8), but there was a significant main effect of side of stroke on conjunctival axial blood velocity (P=0.02). There was a significant interaction effect between stroke and side of stroke (P=0.04), indicating that conjunctival axial blood velocity was lower in ipsilateral eyes than in contralateral eyes of stroke subjects. Conjunctival axial blood velocity and internal carotid artery blood velocity were correlated in stroke subjects (r=0.75, P=0.01, N=10). Conjunctival microcirculation imaging is a feasible method to detect inter-ocular differences in microvascular hemodynamics in subjects with unilateral ischemic stroke.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Ali
A
Kord Valeshabad
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Justin
J
Wanek
Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Faisal
F
Mukarram
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Ruth
R
Zelkha
Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Fernando D
FD
Testai
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. Electronic address: mahnshah@uic.edu.
Mahnaz
M
Shahidi
D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000098:blood supply*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D066167:Slit Lamp; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
Conjunctiva; Hemodynamics; Ischemic stroke; Microcirculation; Microvasculature