Doppler assessment of hemodynamic changes after hemodilution in retinal vein occlusion.

PURPOSE

We assessed the usefulness of color Doppler imaging and spectral analysis in monitoring the effect of isovolemic hemodilution on retinal vein occlusion.

METHODS

Color Doppler imaging was used to measure the systolic and diastolic blood flow velocities and the resistance index (RI) in the central retinal artery and the maximum and minimum blood flow velocities in the central retinal vein of affected eyes and contralateral unaffected eyes before and 1 day after isovolemic hemodilution in 70 adults (40 men and 30 women; mean age, 62.4 +/- 13.7 years) who presented with retinal vein occlusion.

RESULTS

With hemodilution, the hematocrit value was decreased from 41.8 +/- 3.0 to 33.0 +/- 3.0. In central retinal vein occlusion, the pretreatment arterial and venous flow velocities of affected eyes were significantly lower than those of unaffected eyes. After hemodilution in eyes affected by ischemic occlusion, a significant improvement in the RI in the central retinal artery was observed without changes in venous flow velocity. After hemodilution in eyes affected by non-ischemic occlusion, a significant increase in maximal venous flow velocity only was noted. In branch retinal vein occlusion, no significant difference was observed in the RI between affected and unaffected eyes. After hemodilution, an improvement in RI was noted only for affected eyes.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results confirm the potential value of Doppler analysis in monitoring the impact of hemodilution on arterial and venous velocity in patients with central retinal vein occlusion.