Search

Controversy exists about the association of choroidal thickness (CTh) with blood pressure (BP) values. There is some evidence suggesting that central hemodynamics changes are associated with microvascular disease. Our study was aimed to assess the relationships between CTh and clinic and 24-h BP and between CTh and estimated 24-h aortic pulse pressure (aPP), 24-h aortic systolic BP (aSBP), and 24-h aortic augmentation index (aAIx) in a group of hypertensive patients. We enrolled 158 hypertensive subjects (mean age 48 ± 13 years) all of which underwent evaluation of the choroidal district by Swept-Source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and 24-h BP monitoring, in order to measure peripheral BP and to estimate central hemodynamic parameters. Inverse significant correlations of clinic PP, 24-h aPP, 24-h aSBP, and 24-h aAIx with thicknesses of central ring, inner ring, and outer ring of the choroid and its overall average were found. The strongest of these correlations was that relating 24-h aPP with overall average choroidal thickness (r = -.531; P < .001). When we divided the study population in subjects with 24-h aPP above and below the median value (35 mm Hg), CTh were thinner in subjects with higher values of 24-aPP as compared to those with lower ones, even after adjustment for age, and other potential confounders. The relationships of CTh with 24-h aPP remained significant also taking into account the effects of various covariates in linear multiple regression analyses. Our findings support the concept of a cross-talk between macro- and microcirculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choroid is the most vascularized structure of the eye and plays a central role in the development of the retinal vascular changes that occur in arterial hypertension. Changes of choroidal thickness (ChT) assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology could reflect the vascular complications of hypertension. Also, intrarenal hemodynamic damage, associated with endothelial dysfunction, demonstrated to be a good indicator of systemic morphofunctional arterial impairment. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between ChT and renal hemodynamics in subjects with essential hypertension. Routine laboratory tests, clinical history, and physical examination, including blood pressure assessment, were performed in 90 subjects with essential hypertension. All patients underwent Doppler ultrasonographic evaluation of intra-renal hemodynamics and OCT imaging to assess ChT. When subjects were divided in two groups based on renal resistive index (RRI), group I (RRI ≥ 75% percentile) showed significantly lower values of ChT than group II (RRI < 75% percentile) (P < .001). When divided in two groups based on the ChT median values, patients with lower ChT had significantly higher RRI values than those with ChT above the median values (P < .05). In multivariate model including age, eGFR, and other variables as confounding factors, RRI ≥ 75% was independently associated with ChT. ChT was significantly correlated with renal resistive index in subjects with essential hypertension, confirmed in multivariate analyses. This result could be referred to changes in vascular elastic properties that occur in retinal and intrarenal vascular system probably due to oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction commonly found in early complications of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]