title: What ocular and systemic variables affect choroidal circulation in healthy eyes.
abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between choroidal blood flow and systemic and ocular variables in patients with healthy eyes.In this prospective cross-sectional study, we examined 241 eyes of 241 healthy Japanese subjects (92 males and 149 females; mean age, 37.8 ± 17.0 years). The mean blur rate, a measure of the relative blood flow of the choroid, was determined using laser speckle flowgraphy. The total cross-sectional choroidal, luminal, and stromal areas of the choroid were determined by the binarization method. We investigated the correlation between choroidal MBR and systemic and ocular variables.Choroidal mean blur rate correlated with age (r = -0.385, P < 0.001) and choroidal thickness (r = 0.264, P < 0.001). The choroidal area correlated with choroidal mean blur rate (r = 0.374, P < 0.001), age (r = -0.184, P = 0.004), axial length (r = -0.251, P < 0.001), and choroidal thickness (r = 0.468, P < 0.001). The luminal area correlated with choroidal mean blur rate (r = 0.403, P < 0.001), age (r = -0.244, P < 0.001), axial length (r = -0.218, P = 0.001), and choroidal thickness (r = 0.435, P < 0.001). On multiple stepwise regression analyses, age (β = -0.321, P < 0.001) and luminal area (β = 0.320, P < 0.001), heart rate (β = 0.136, P = 0.018), and mean ocular perfusion pressure (β = 0.126, P = 0.045) were independent factors indicating the choroidal mean blur rate. Furthermore, axial length (β = -0.352, P < 0.001), choroidal mean blur rate (β = 0.273, P < 0.001), age (β = -0.247, P < 0.001), gender (β = -0.226, P < 0.001), and mean ocular perfusion pressure (β = 0.193, P = 0.002) were independent factors indicating the luminal area.The choroidal blood flow positively correlated with the luminal area and negatively correlating with age. In addition, the luminal area was negative correlated with age. It is suggested that aging causes a reduction in choroidal blood flow and luminal area, and as a result of aging effect, decreased choroidal blood flow would correlate with decreased luminal area.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Japan Division of Biostatistics, Clinical Research Center, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Iwase
authors: Kentaro
authors: K
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Misato
authors: M
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Eimei
authors: E
authors: Ra
authors: Kenta
authors: K
authors: Murotani
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Terasaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence