Impaired Systemic Endothelial Function in Patients With Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Abstract

Purpose: : To evaluate the peripheral vascular endothelial function in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using noninvasive endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD).

Methods: : Twenty-five patients with BRVO (BRVO group, mean age±SD, 64.2±1.3 years) and 17 age-matched healthy volunteers (control group, 60.4±2.8 years) were enrolled. We excluded patients with diabetes mellitus and current smokers. We measured the diameter of the brachial artery (mm) and FMD using high-resolution ultrasonographic imaging of the brachial artery (UNEXEF18G, UNEX Corp., Nagoya, Japan).

Results: : There was no significant difference in the baseline brachial artery diameters between the groups. The FMD value (%) was significantly lower in the BRVO group compared with that in the controls (3.3±0.3% vs. 7.9±0.6%, respectively; P <0.0001).

Conclusions: : Our results indicated that the FMD decreases in patients with BRVO, suggesting that systemic endothelial dysfunction might be associated with the pathogenesis of BRVO.

Keywords: vascular occlusion/vascular occlusive disease • retina