Correlation of axial blood velocity to venular and arteriolar diameter in the human eye in vivo

Abstract

The axial blood velocity (Vax) association with microvessel diameter (D) was studied at 104 different postcapillary venules (4 μm < D < 24 μm) and 30 different precapillary arterioles (6 μm≤D≤12 μm) in the human conjunctiva of normal healthy humans. Venular diameter sizes were classified as "very small" (Group 1, 4.4 μm≤D < 8.9 μm), "small" (Group 2, 8.9 μm≤D < 13.8 μm), "medium" (Group 3, 13.8 μm≤D < 19.1 μm) and "large" (Group 4, 19.1 μm≤D≤23.5). The Spearman's correlation coefficient (rs) in all 4 venular groups was less than 0.36 and not statistically significant (n = 26, p≥0.08). Similar correlation results were observed for the arteriolar group (rs) ≈ 0) for the peak systolic, the average and the end systolic axial velocities. Vax was significantly (p < 0.001) lower in Group 1 in comparison to that in Group 2 and significantly (p < 0.01) lower in Group 2 in comparison to that in Group 3. However, Vax was not significantly lower in Group 3 in comparison to that in Group 4. Average Vax and standard deviation was 0.48 ± 0.13, 0.64 ± 0.16, 0.82 ± 0.25 and 0.88 ± 0.32 mm/s for Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The above results reinforce the importance of measuring D in microvascular hemodynamics. Higher diameters suggest higher axial velocities but Vax does not change significantly within the limits of each of the aforementioned groups.