The effect of systemic hypertension on pulsatile ocular blood flow in diabetic patients.

PURPOSE

To determine the haemodynamics of the ciliary choroidal system in diabetics with or without systemic hypertension.

METHODS

90 eyes of 45 diabetic patients were included into the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of systemic hypertension. The pulsatile component of the total ocular blood flow in diabetics with or without hypertension was analyzed using ocular blood flow tonograph (OBF Labs, UK). The control group was comprised of 40 age-matched eyes of 20 volunteers with no ocular or systemic disease. Results were compared with the control group.

RESULTS

Pulse amplitude (PA), pulse volume (PV) and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) were significantly lower (p<0.05) in diabetics without systemic hypertension than the controls. In diabetics with hypertension, although the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher than the control group, there was not any statistically significant difference (p>0.05) between PA, PV and POBF results.

CONCLUSION

POBF was found to be lower in diabetics without hypertension compared to the controls. Such a presence of systemic hypertension may increase the choroidal blood flow in diabetics.