Abstract
PURPOSE:
To investigate a potential correlation between the ocular pulse amplitude (OPA; i.e., the intraocular pressure difference between the systolic and diastolic phases of the heartbeat) and the severity of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) and to test its role as a screening parameter for CAS during routine ophthalmic examination.
DESIGN:
Test accuracy study.
PARTICIPANTS:
Patients referred for color duplex ultrasound examination of the extra- and intracranial cerebral arteries were enrolled consecutively.
METHODS:
We measured OPA on both eyes by dynamic contour tonometry. Multivariate analyses were performed with risk factors for CAS (age, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides) to compare the diagnostic value of OPA measurements with other non- or minimally invasive screening parameters.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
The difference between OPA measurements in patients with no (<50%) and patients with severe CAS (>70%) as well as the value of OPA measurements to predict the severity of CAS taking further risk factors of CAS into consideration.
RESULTS:
One hundred thirty-four eyes of 67 patients (25 women, 42 men) with a mean age of 67±13 years (range, 25-87) were included. The means of the OPA values of those patients showing no CAS (<50%) differed significantly (P = 0.036) from those with a stenosis of ≥70%. The multivariate model produced a statistically significant odds ratio (0.46; P = 0.007) for CAS of ≥70%.
CONCLUSIONS:
The results of the present study provide proof of principle that the OPA is reduced in patients with CAS and may be used as a noninvasive, inexpensive, readily available, and unconfounded screening parameter to detect CAS and possibly to reduce the incidence of stroke.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S):
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article.
Knecht, P B