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Updated: Apr 4, 2026
Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation
Published on: September 18, 2012
Relationship between plasma levels of vasoactive mediators and optic nerve head circulation shown by laser speckle
Tomoaki Shiba1, Tetsuya Sugiyama2, Yuichi Hori3
1Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Toho University, 6-11-1, Omori-Nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan. tomoaki-s@med.toho-u.ac.jp.
Propose:
To evaluate relationships between optic nerve head (ONH) circulation by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), and secretion levels of plasma norepinephrine (NE), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), and plasma cortisol.
Method:
Forty subjects were included in the study. The mean blur rates (MBR) throughout the ONH (MBR-all), in the tissue (MBR-tissue), and in vessels (MBR-vessel) were analyzed. In 29 subjects the following parameters were evaluated: plasma NE and ONH circulation in the evening and morning (Δ plasma NE, Δ MBR-all, -tissue, -vessel, and Δ area ratio of blood stream).
Results:
Plasma NE was significantly correlated with MBR-all (r = 0.39, P = 0.01) and MBR-vessel (r = 0.51, P = 0.0008). Plasma cortisol was significantly correlated with MBR-vessel (r =0.35, P = 0.03). The PRA (r = 0.31, P = 0.05) and PAC (r = 0.31, P = 0.05) tended to correlate with MBR-vessel. The multiple regression analysis revealed that plasma NE, PAC, and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) were identified as factors contributing independently to the MBR-vessel (plasma NE: standard regression = 0.48, t-value = 3.12, P = 0.004; PAC: 0.43, 3.10, 0.04; OPP: 0.58, 2.34, 0.03, r = 0.71). Positive correlations between Δ plasma NE and Δ MBR-all (r = 0.46, P = 0.01), Δ MBR-tissue (0.38, 0.04), Δ MBR-vessel (0.41, 0.03), and Δ area ratio of blood stream (0.38, 0.04) were observed.
Conclusion:
Our results clarified that the measurements of ONH circulation by LSFG is reflecting the plasma secretion levels of vasoactive mediators.
