rss
Br J Ophthalmol 2003;87:1478-1480 doi:10.1136/bjo.87.12.1478
  • Clinical science
    • Scientific reports

Unrecordable pulsatile ocular blood flow may signify severe stenosis of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery

  1. Y Barkana1,
  2. A Harris2,
  3. L Hefez1,
  4. M Zaritski3,
  5. D Chen3,
  6. I Avni1
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Beer Yaacov, Zerifin, Israel
  2. 2Glaucoma Research and Diagnostic Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, USA
  3. 3Vascular Ultrasound Clinic, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Beer Yaacov, Zerifin, Israel
  1. Correspondence to: Yaniv Barkana MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Assaf Harofe Medical Center, Beer Yaacov, Zerifin 70300, Israel; idityanivyahoo.com
  • Accepted 7 April 2003

Abstract

Aim: To examine the relation between stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF).

Methods: In 57 eyes of 30 patients who were referred for Doppler ultrasound examination of the ICA we measured POBF and analysed the correlation with degree of ipsilateral ICA stenosis.

Results: There was a significant negative correlation between POBF and ipsilateral ICA stenosis (Pearson correlation coefficient, r  =  −0.516, p <0.0001). In 14 eyes POBF could not be measured by the OBF tonometer, and in 11 of these cases (79%) severe stenosis (>75%) of the ipsilateral ICA was present. When these eyes were excluded from analysis, there was no correlation between POBF and ICA stenosis (r  =  −0.02, p = 0.91). Among these 43 eyes in which POBF could be measured it ranged 667–2095 µl/min with a mean of 970.72 µl/min.

Conclusion: Low or unrecordable POBF may signify severe stenosis of the internal carotid artery. POBF is not a direct reflection of ipsilateral ICA blood flow.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Services

    1. Email this link to a friend
    2. Alert me when this article is cited
    3. Alert me if a correction is posted
    4. Alert me when eletters are published
    5. Article Usage Statistics
    6. Similar articles in this journal
    7. Similar articles in Web of Science
    8. Similar articles in PubMed
    9. Add article to my folders
    10. Download to citation manager
    11. Request permissions

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Social bookmarking

    Register for free content


    Free sample
     This recent issue is free to all users to allow everyone the opportunity to see the full scope and typical content of BJO.
    View free sample issue >>

    Free archive
    The full back archive is now available for BJO. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006, back to volume 1 issue 1.
    Register to access the free archive >>

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.