Relationship of Echocardiography and Carotid Doppler With Macular Parameters in Retinal Vein Occlusions: A Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Aim: To find the relationship of cardiac dimensions and valvular flow rates in echocardiography and carotid parameters in Doppler imaging with macular variables in retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) and to identify macular parameters in RVO that may predict cardiovascular morbidity. Methods: A retrospective observational study was done with 17 patients with central RVO (CRVO) and 13 patients with branch RVO (BRVO). Best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCVA) and spectral domain optical coherence tomography parameters such as central macular volume (CMV) and total macular volume (TMV) were noted. Details of echocardiography and carotid Doppler were retrieved. Relationship of BCVA, CMV, and TMV with cardiac dimensions and valvular flow rates and carotid flow velocities was analyzed. Results: Correlation showed significant association between BCVA and ipsilateral internal carotid (IC) to common carotid (CC) peak systolic velocity (PSV) ratio in eyes with CRVO and BRVO ( r = .50, P = .04, and r = .64, P = .02, respectively). Significant association of TMV and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVs) was seen in CRVO ( r = .69, P = .002). Association was also noted between higher IC PSV and poor BCVA, higher IC to CC PSV ratio to poor BCVA, and larger LVs with higher TMV ( P < .03 for all). In patients with BRVO, association was noted between higher IC to CC PSV ratio to poor BCVA, lesser ejection fraction (EF) with poor BCVA, and lesser EF with higher CMV ( P < .03 for all). Conclusions: In our study eyes with RVO, decreased BCVA was related to carotid narrowing. Decreased BCVA in BRVO was also related to decreased EF. Consistently larger macular volumes in our study eyes with RVO were related to suboptimal cardiac function identified by larger end systolic diameters and lesser EF. Our pilot study has thus showed that a quantitative relationship exists between macular parameters and cardiovascular variables in RVO.