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(Stroke. 2003;34:e92.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Reports

Central Retinal Artery Doppler Flow Parameters Reflect the Severity of Cerebral Small-Vessel Disease

Masahiko Hiroki, MD, PhD; Kotaro Miyashita, MD, PhD; Hiroshi Yoshida, MD, PhD; Shunsaku Hirai, MD, PhD Hidenao Fukuyama, MD, PhD

From the Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan (M.H., H.F.); Cerebrovascular Division, Department of Medicine, National Cardiovascular Center, Suita, Osaka, Japan (K.M.); and Departments of Neurology (S.H.) Neurophthalmology (H.Y), Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence to Masahiko Hiroki, MD, Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. E-mail CYI01752{at}nifty.ne.jp

Background and Purpose— We investigated the usefulness of central retinal artery (CRA) Doppler flowmetry in patients with cerebral small-vessel disease (SVD).

Methods— CRA Doppler flowmetry was performed in 103 SVD patients who underwent MRI. Sixty-four adjusted control subjects were also registered. We assessed average CRA flow parameter values for both eyes with the clinical and MRI findings.

Results— Each Doppler flowmetry was performed within 5 minutes. Patients with SVD had significantly lower end-diastolic and mean velocities of the CRA than control subjects; they also had higher pulsatility and resistive indexes. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of small infarcts was an independent predictor of peak systolic and mean velocities. Grade of periventricular hyperintensities was an additional independent predictor of peak systolic and mean velocities, whereas the number of small infarcts was predictive of end-diastolic velocity.

Conclusions— Flow parameters may be useful for the quantitative assessment of SVD severity.

Key Words: retinal artery • small-vessel disease • ultrasonography, Doppler