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Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 4/2006

01-04-2006 | Clinical Investigation

Retinal vascular diameter in young subjects with a vasospastic propensity

Authors: Fabrizio Branca, Selim Orgül, Claudia Zawinka, Graziella Reinhard, Josef Flammer

Published in: Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology | Issue 4/2006

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Abstract

Purpose

Retinal vascular diameters have recently been shown not to be related to an increased risk of open-angle glaucoma. Because vasospastic propensity has been suggested to represent a risk factor for various ocular diseases, especially glaucoma, the steady-state retinal vascular diameter in subjects with a propensity for systemic vascular dysregulation was compared with a group of age-matched gender-matched controls.

Methods

Thirty healthy non-smoking individuals [female/male 26/4; mean ± SD age 22.8±3.4 (range 18–31) years] were enrolled into the study. Subjects were classified as having vasospasm (15 subjects) if they related a clear history of frequently cold hands and as healthy subjects (15 subjects) if they denied such a history. Vasospastic propensity or the absence of it had to be confirmed by nail-fold capillaroscopy. Vascular diameter of retinal vessels was measured repeatedly on two days with the retinal vessel analyser and corrected for perfusion pressure, age, and refraction.

Results

Neither retinal arteriole diameter (P=0.30) or retinal venule diameter (P=0.49), nor retinal arteriole-to-venule ratio (P=0.96), differed between the two experimental groups.

Conclusions

Although vasospastic propensity has been suggested to represent a risk factor in various ocular diseases, the steady-state retinal vessel diameters are not altered in healthy vasospastic subjects. It is probable that the steady-state retinal vessel diameters are no adequate risk indicators for the haemodynamic risk in diseases such as glaucoma.
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Metadata
Title
Retinal vascular diameter in young subjects with a vasospastic propensity
Authors
Fabrizio Branca
Selim Orgül
Claudia Zawinka
Graziella Reinhard
Josef Flammer
Publication date
01-04-2006
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology / Issue 4/2006
Print ISSN: 0721-832X
Electronic ISSN: 1435-702X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-005-0101-9

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