Our results confirmed measurements of BOT in the optic nerve head can be a useful method for determinin g whether early atherosclerotic changes are present in the optic nerve head circulation.

Aim:To determine whether there is a significant correlation between optic nerve head circulation determined by pulse wave analysis of laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), left ventricular (LV) function, and age. Methods: Forty-nine men who visited the Vascular Function Section of Toho University Sakura Medical Center, Chiba, Japan were studied. The mean age of the subjects was 60.7±10.6 years (range 29 to 80 years). The CAVI, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as a function of the systolic LV function, early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (e'), and the ratio of transmitral early peak velocity (E) to e' (E/e' ratio) as the diastolic LV function, and the optic nerve head circulation determined by pulse wave analysis of the LSFG. This parameter was named the blowout time (BOT). Results: The BOT was significantly correlated with age, heart rate, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride, LVEF, e' velocity, E/e' ratio, and CAVI. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that age was significantly associated with CAVI (r = 0.36, p= 0.002), BOT (r =−0.30, p= 0.01) and e' velocity (r =−0.21, p= 0.04). Conclusions:The BOT of the optic nerve head circulation determined by LSFG was significantly correlated with age but was independent of cardiac diastolic function and arterial stiffness. This suggests that the damage to different organs increases with age. Our results confirmed that BOT can be helpful in evaluating physiological aging of the microcirculation.

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