Relation between systemic arteriosclerosis and choroidal blood flow in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Blood flow parameters in the optic nerve head are associated with systemic atherosclerosis, early renal dysfunction, and diastolic cardiac dysfunction in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between choroidal blood flow parameters evaluated using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) and systemic atherosclerosis, cardiac function, and coronary artery disease severity in patients with acute coronary syndrome. We evaluated 44 patients admitted to the coronary care unit of Nihon University Itabashi Hospital for ACS between April 2019 and September 2020. Laser speckle flowgraphy was used to measure the mean blur rate (MBR) in three regions; the optic disc, and the choroidal region 1 disc diameter from the disc choroid temporally and nasally. Significant correlations were observed between the choroid MBR and systemic parameters in patients with ACS, including brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (r = 0.33, P = 0.029) and left ventricular diastolic diameter (r = - 0.30, P = 0.045). The choroidal MBR in the nasal region was significantly lower in the multivessel disease group than in the single vessel disease group (6.6 ± 1.6 vs. 8.5 ± 2.6, P = 0.006). The choroidal MBR was associated with systemic atherosclerosis, left ventricular remodeling, and coronary artery disease severity in patients with ACS, suggesting that it could be a useful non-invasive comprehensive arteriosclerotic marker.