Microcirculatory model predicts blood flow and autoregulation range in the human retina: in vivo investigation with Laser Speckle Flowgraphy

Konstantinos Pappelis, Lars Choritz, Nomdo Jansonius
2020 American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology  
In this study, 1) we mathematically predict Retinal Vascular Resistance (RVR) and Retinal Blood Flow (RBF), 2) we test predictions using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG), 3) we estimate the range of vascular autoregulation, and 4) we examine the relationship of RBF with the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC). Fundus, OCT, and OCT-angiography images, systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements were obtained from 36 human
more » ... bjects. We modeled two circulation markers (RVR and RBF) and estimated individualized lower/higher autoregulation limits (LARL/HARL), using retinal vessel calibers, fractal dimension, perfusion pressure, and population-based hematocrit values. Quantitative LSFG waveforms were extracted from vessels of the same eyes, before and during IOP elevation. LSFG metrics explained most variance in RVR (R2=0.77/P=6.9·10-9) and RBF (R2=0.65/P=1.0·10-6), suggesting that the markers strongly reflect blood flow physiology. Higher RBF was associated with thicker RNFL (P=4.0·10-4) and GCC (P=0.003), thus also verifying agreement with structural measurements. LARL was at SBP/DBP of 105/65 mmHg for the average subject without arterial hypertension, and at 115/75 mmHg for the average hypertensive subject. Moreover, during IOP elevation, changes in RBF were more pronounced than changes in RVR. These observations physiologically imply that healthy subjects are already close to LARL, thus prone to hypoperfusion. In conclusion, we modeled two clinical markers and described a novel method to predict individualized autoregulation limits. These findings could improve understanding of retinal perfusion and pave the way for personalized intervention decisions, when treating patients with coexisting ophthalmic and cardiovascular pathologies.
doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00404.2020 pmid:32986964 fatcat:oj747ttsu5dvtmjzsterkxxihy