Hemodynamics of ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery and correlation with other factors in patients with primary open angle glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the hemodynamics of ophthalmic artery (OA) and central retinal artery (CRA) in patients with primary open angle glaucoma(POAG) and analyse the correlation between hemodynamics of OA and CRA and other factors.

METHODS

The hemodynamics of OA and CRA in normal persons (102 eyes) and glaucomatous patients (102 eyes) were measured by Colour Doppler Image (CDI). The linear correlation analysis was made between OA and CRA about each of the following parameters: the peak systolic flow velocity (Vmax), the end diastolic velocity (Vmin). The multiple stepwise regression analysis was taken to investigate the correlation between each of the following hemodynamics of OA and CRA: Vmax and Vmin in 74 eyes with POAG and each of the following related factors in hemorrheology: whole blood apparent viscosity at low, medium and high shear rate, plasma viscosity and hematocrit. The multiple linear regression was applied to investigate the correlation between each of the following hemodynamics of OA and CRA: Vmax and Vmin in 69 eyes with POAG and each of the following blood vessel filling time: the arm-retinal artery (A-AT) and retinal artery-venous (A-VT) of the fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA).

RESULTS

The Vmax, Vmin and time-averaged maximum velocity (Vmean) of OA and CRA in patients with POAG were lower than those in normal persons, but the resistance index (RI) of OA and CRA was higher than those in normal. There was a positive correlation between OA and CRA in Vmin, but a negative correlation between Vmin of OA and plasma viscosity. The whole blood apparent viscosity at low shear rate was clodely related to Vmax and Vmin of CRA. Also there was a negative correlation between Vmax of CRA and A-AT of the FFA.

CONCLUSION

There was abnormal hemodynamics, which is influenced by blood viscosity, of OA and CRA in patients with POAG. Abnormal hemodynamics can affect the blood supply to optic disc and retina in POAG.