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Retinal vessel diameters, flicker‐induced retinal vasodilation and retinal oxygen saturation in high‐ and low‐risk pregnancy
Author(s) -
Sharifizad Mozhgan,
Schmidl Doreen,
Werkmeister René M.,
Zeisler Harald,
Told Reinhard,
Binder Julia,
Küssel Lorenz,
Garhöfer Gerhard,
Schmetterer Leopold
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/aos.14696
Subject(s) - retinal , medicine , retinal artery , central retinal artery , retinal vein , pregnancy , blood pressure , ophthalmology , vasodilation , oxygen saturation , cardiology , oxygen , biology , organic chemistry , chemistry , genetics
Abstract Purpose To compare retinal vascular parameters between high‐risk and low‐risk pregnant women over time during pregnancy. Methods In a longitudinal study, we included pregnant women with normal blood pressure and normal body mass index (BMI, group 1), pregnant women with systemic hypertension and/or overweight (group 2) and age‐matched nonpregnant healthy women (group 3). Using the dynamic vessel analyser (DVA) we investigated flicker‐induced vasodilation in retinal arteries (FLA) and veins (FLV), central retinal arterial and vein equivalent (CRAE, CRVE), arterio‐venous ratio (AVR) and retinal arterial and venous oxygen saturation (SartO 2 , SveinO 2 ). Study visits were scheduled 2nd trimester (TP 2), 3rd trimester (TP 3) and postpartum (PP). Results Data from 29 women in group 1, 25 women in group 2 and 33 women in group 3 were included for analysis. FLA, FLV, CRAE, CRVE, AVR and SveinO 2 were altered in group 2 (p‐values between < 0.001 and 0.009). At TP 3 the differences between groups were most pronounced. In contrast, there were only minor differences between group 1 and 3. Changes in retinal parameters were independently associated with systemic blood pressure and BMI. Conclusions The present analysis indicates that flicker‐induced retinal vasodilation, retinal vessel diameters and retinal oxygen saturation are altered in high‐risk pregnant women. Hence, these parameters are candidate biomarkers for pregnancy complications, a hypothesis that deserves further study.