Abstract
Purpose::
Eye perfusion is impaired over age and in arterial hypertension. Fast Fourier Transform of the contour of the blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OA) was performed to detect harmonic oscillations, which change in dependency on age and arterial hypertension.
Methods::
The case-control study included 103 healthy men (age, 44.7±16.1 years), 105 healthy women (age, 45.3±19.2 years), and overall 124 age-adjusted hypertensive subjects. Systolic (SBP), mean (MAP), and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure were measured and subsequently the blood flow velocity of OA was registered using pulsed Doppler sonography. A spectral coefficient (SC) and a spectral index (SI) were defined and calculated using the first through fifth harmonic oscillation of the blood flow velocity.
Results::
In healthy men and women SC and SI correlated with age, if controlled for either SBP or DBP (R between -0.619 and -0.777, p<0.001 each). In men SC and SI were influenced significantly only by age (49.5% and 37.8%, respectively, p<0.001 each). In women same parameters were influenced by age (SC: 58.0%, p<0.001; SI: 51.8%, p<0.001) and MAP (SC: 6.2%, p=0.011; SI: 14.1%, p<0.001). SI was decreased significantly in men and women older than 44 years as compared to subjects equal or younger than 44 years (p<0.001). Men and women with arterial hypertension had significantly lower SI values than age-matched control subjects (men, p=0.019; women, p=0.007).
Conclusions::
SC and SI, derived from the contour of the blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery, are influenced by age in men and by both age and mean arterial blood pressure in women. SC and SI decrease over age and SI is affected by arterial hypertension independently from age.
Keywords: aging • blood supply • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)