Ocular blood flow values measured by laser speckle flowgraphy correlate with the postmenstrual age of normal neonates

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate the relationships between optic nerve head (ONH) blood flow by laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), and postmenstrual age and body weight in normal neonates.MethodsDuring their normal sleep, we studied 24 infants (postmenstrual age, 248–295 days) whose ocular blood flow could be measured three consecutive times. While the subjects slept in the supine position, three mean blur rate (MBR) values of the ONH were obtained: the MBR-A (mean of all values), MBR-V (vessel mean) and MBR-T (tissue mean) in the ONH. With regard to eye diseases, no retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was observed, and no severe systemic diseases requiring treatment were noted in the subjects. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to determine the relationship between the MBR-A, −V, −T and postmenstrual age (days) and body weight (g).ResultsPostmenstrual age was significantly correlated with MBR-A (r = 0.64, p = 0.0007), MBR-V (r = 0.62, p = 0.0012) and MBR-T (r = 0.62, p = 0.0012). However, the body weight was not correlated with the MBR (MBR-A: r = 0.37, p = 0.07, MBR-V: r = 0.31, p = 0.14, MBR-T: r = 0.38, p = 0.06).ConclusionsOur results clarified that the values of ocular blood flow measured by LSFG correlate with the postmenstrual age of normal neonates.

A Change in Ocular Circulation after Photocoagulation for Retinopathy of Prematurity in a Neonate

“…Research groups using LSFG [ 6 ] and color Doppler imaging (CDI) [ 10 , 11 ] have reported that the ocular blood flow increases over the course of several weeks after birth. In our patient's case, the blood flow that is believed to increase over several weeks for growth decreased following the photocoagulation for ROP.…”

“…However, this method is not as convenient as CDI. Pupillary dilation is required for the measurement, and it must be performed while the patient is asleep or under sedation [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…The reproducibility of the LSFG-baby system results was good [5, 6]. We report herein a case in which we were able to measure the ocular blood flow in an infant with ROP for the first time, and we evaluated the changes in the infant's ocular blood flow before and after photocoagulation.…”

“…We recently established a new system to measure the ocular blood flow in neonates that uses a modified LSFG system, the “LSFG-baby” system [ 5 , 6 ]. The reproducibility of the LSFG-baby system results was good [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…We recently established a new system to measure the ocular blood flow in neonates that uses a modified LSFG system, the “LSFG-baby” system [ 5 , 6 ]. The reproducibility of the LSFG-baby system results was good [ 5 , 6 ]. We report herein a case in which we were able to measure the ocular blood flow in an infant with ROP for the first time, and we evaluated the changes in the infant's ocular blood flow before and after photocoagulation.…”