Relationship between optic nerve head and finger blood flow

PURPOSE. To examine the relationship between optic nerve head (ONH) and finger blood flow in subjects with and without a primary vascular dysregulation (PVD). METHODS. ONH blood flow and finger blood flow was measured in 15 subjects with PVD and in 24 subjects without PVD. PVD was defined as being present if it was detected in patient history as well as by nailfold capillaromicroscopy. PVD was defined as being absent if the patient history for PVD was negative and the results of nailfold capillaromicroscopy were negative. Scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) was used to measure ONH and finger blood flow. Finger temperature was measured in all subjects using a contact sensor. RESULTS. ONH blood flow is significantly related to finger blood flow in subjects with PVD (p<0.01), but not in subjects without a PVD. Subjects with PVD had a significantly lower finger skin temperature in comparison to those without PVD (p<0.01) CONCLUSIONS. The present study indicates a relationship between ONH and finger blood flow in subjects with PVD. This might be an indirect sign of a disturbed autoregulation of ocular blood flow in PVD subjects. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2010; 20: 136-41)