Retrobulbar and peripheral capillary blood flow in hypercholesterolemic subjects

PURPOSE: To assess retrobulbar blood flow velocities and finger nailfold ca pillary blood flow velocities (two readily accessible vascular beds) in sub jects with primary hypercholesterolemia before and during lipid-lowering th erapy. METHODS: Retrobulbar blood Raw velocities and finger nailfold capillary blo od Row velocities were assessed in 15 hypercholesterolemic subjects and in 15 age-matched and sex-matched healthy control subjects. In addition, the c hange in blood flow velocities after a 3-month period of lipid lowering the rapy was evaluated. RESULTS: No alterations in retrobulbar blood Row velocities after lipid-low ering therapy could be observed in hypercholesterolemic patients. Nailfold capillary blood now velocity was slower in hypercholesterolemic subjects th an control subjects immediately after local cooling (P = .0052), but this v ascular dysregulation did not improve after lipid-lowering therapy (P = .58 ). CONCLUSIONS: Blood flow alterations, potentially caused by perturbed vascul ar endothelial function, may occur in nailfold capillaries of hypercholeste rolemic subjects. Such alterations were nor seen in retrobulbar vessels, an d blood Row measures did not change during lipid-lowering therapy, (Am J Op hthalmol 1999;128: 310-316. (C) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights re served.)