Abstract
BackgroundTo analyze blood flow volume alteration that involved both retrobulbar artery and internal carotid artery (ICA) in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and to assess their relevance for the pathogenesis of NAION.MethodsForty two patients with NAION (unilateral affected) and 42 age-matched controls participated in this study. By head-and-neck computed tomographic angiography (CTA), the diameter of ICA and ophthalmic artery (OA) were measured. By colour Doppler imaging (CDI), the mean blood flow velocity (Vm) and the blood flow volume of ICA and OA were measured or calculated. By optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), peripapillary and optic disc vessel density were measured. Data obtained from the affected side of the patients were compared to those of the contralateral healthy side and the control.ResultsCompared with the controls and the contralateral healthy side of the patients with NAION, the diameter of ICA, the blood flow volume of ICA and OA, the peripapillary and optic disc vessel density in the affected side decreased significantly (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the diameter of OA (p = 0.179, 0.054 respectively), the Vm of OA (p = 0.052, 0.083 respectively), or the Vm of ICA (p = 0.364, 0.938 respectively) between groups. Peripapillary and optic disc vessel density were significantly positive correlated with the blood flow volume in ipsilateral ICA and OA in patients with NAION (all p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe reduction of blood flow volume was more prominent in OA and ICA than decrease of Vm, peripapillary and optic disc vessel density were significantly positive correlated with the blood flow volume of ipsilateral ICA and OA in patients with NAION.
Highlights
To analyze blood flow volume alteration that involved both retrobulbar artery and internal carotid artery (ICA) in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and to assess their relevance for the pathogenesis of NAION
Previous study demonstrated that NAION patients showed markedly different retrobulbar haemodynamics with reduced circulation velocity in ophthalmic artery (OA) measured by colour Doppler imaging (CDI) [4]
Concerning the correlation between the blood flow volume and vessel density in the affected side of patients with NAION, we found both peripapillary vessel density and optic disc vessel density were significantly positive correlated with the blood flow volume in ipsilateral ICA and OA (Table 4)
Summary
To analyze blood flow volume alteration that involved both retrobulbar artery and internal carotid artery (ICA) in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and to assess their relevance for the pathogenesis of NAION. Some researchers suggested that NAION might occur simultaneously with stenosis and reduced blood flow of internal carotid artery (ICA) [7, 8]. Due to these reasons, we believed that it was important to assess OA and ICA blood flow while studying the pathogenesis of NAION. Because the siphon region of ICA (ICAS) is often implicated in ocular ischemic diseases and the changes of blood flow here might affect the lower reaches’ hemodynamics directly [9], ICAS was designated as the anatomical site for the study of ICA when it was involved
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
