title: Blood flow assessed by color Doppler imaging in retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify central retinal arterial and venous blood flow using ultrasound color Doppler imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective observational study, eyes of eight preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity stage 2 and of eight preterm infants without retinopathy (gestational age <30 weeks, birth weight <1500 g) were evaluated by color Doppler imaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ocular blood flow velocities measured at 28±1 days of life did not differ significantly in the eyes of preterm infants who subsequently did and did not develop retinopathy. Development of retinopathy was associated with highly significant (P<0.0001 each) increases in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.99±0.36 to 3.72±0.61 cm s(-1)), central retinal artery systolic flow velocities (from 6.44±1.52 to 9.87±1.99 cm s(-1)) and flow velocity integrals (from 1.27±0.30 to 2.17±0.50 cm) at 64±13 days of life. In infants without retinopathy, no significant changes were observed except for an increase in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.96±0.22 to 2.62±0.44 cm s(-1), P=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retinopathy of prematurity appears to be accompanied by increased retinal blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartenstein
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Metze
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czernik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bührer
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods