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Blood flow assessed by color Doppler imaging in retinopathy of prematurity

Journal of Perinatology volume 35, pages 745–747 (2015)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To quantify central retinal arterial and venous blood flow using ultrasound color Doppler imaging.

Study Design:

In this prospective observational study, eyes of eight preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity stage 2 and of eight preterm infants without retinopathy (gestational age <30 weeks, birth weight <1500 g) were evaluated by color Doppler imaging.

Result:

Ocular blood flow velocities measured at 28±1 days of life did not differ significantly in the eyes of preterm infants who subsequently did and did not develop retinopathy. Development of retinopathy was associated with highly significant (P<0.0001 each) increases in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.99±0.36 to 3.72±0.61 cm s−1), central retinal artery systolic flow velocities (from 6.44±1.52 to 9.87±1.99 cm s−1) and flow velocity integrals (from 1.27±0.30 to 2.17±0.50 cm) at 64±13 days of life. In infants without retinopathy, no significant changes were observed except for an increase in central retinal vein maximum velocities (from 1.96±0.22 to 2.62±0.44 cm s−1, P=0.003).

Conclusion:

Retinopathy of prematurity appears to be accompanied by increased retinal blood flow.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Scott Butler of English Manager Science Editing, Sydney, Australia, for linguistic revision.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany

    S Hartenstein, B Metze, C Czernik & C Bührer

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany

    B Müller

Authors
  1. S Hartenstein
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  2. B Müller
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  3. B Metze
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  4. C Czernik
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  5. C Bührer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C Bührer.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Hartenstein, S., Müller, B., Metze, B. et al. Blood flow assessed by color Doppler imaging in retinopathy of prematurity. J Perinatol 35, 745–747 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.45

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2015.45

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