PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - H Noma
AU  - H Funatsu
AU  - K Sakata
AU  - S Harino
AU  - T Nagaoka
AU  - T Mimura
AU  - T Sone
AU  - S Hori
TI  - Macular microcirculation and macular oedema in branch retinal vein occlusion
AID  - 10.1136/bjo.2008.146597
DP  - 2009 May 01
TA  - British Journal of Ophthalmology
PG  - 630--633
VI  - 93
IP  - 5
4099  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/93/5/630.short
4100  - http://bjo.bmj.com/content/93/5/630.full
SO  - Br J Ophthalmol2009 May 01; 93
AB  - Background/aims: The relationship between the blood-flow velocity in the perifoveal capillaries and macular oedema was investigated in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).Methods: This study compared 18 patients with BRVO and 16 healthy volunteers. Perifoveal capillary blood-flow velocity was measured on fluorescein angiograms with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope by the tracing method. Retinal thickness at the central fovea was measured by optical coherence tomography. Then, the relation between perifoveal capillary blood-flow velocity and retinal thickness at the central fovea was investigated.Results: Perifoveal capillary blood-flow velocity was significantly lower in the patients with BRVO (1.08 (SD 0.28) mm/s) than in the healthy volunteers (1.49 (0.11) mm/s) (p<0.0001). Capillary blood-flow velocity showed a negative correlation with the retinal thickness at the central fovea in the two groups (r = −0.8426, p<0.0001). Multivariate linear regression analysis with stepwise variable selection confirmed that capillary blood-flow velocity was an independent determinant of the retinal thickness at the central fovea (p<0.001).Conclusion: A reduction in perifoveal capillary blood-flow velocity may be involved in the development of macular oedema in patients with BRVO.