PURPOSE: To evaluate normal blood flow velocity and Doppler indices of the ophthalmic arteries from birth to hospital discharge of inborn infants at birth weights between 500 and 1500 g and gestational age <or=32 weeks. METHODS: A longitudinal prospective study with Doppler ultrasound was conducted in both eyes at 24 hours, 7 and 28 days, and hospital discharge for systolic and diastolic velocities, pulsatility, and resistance indices. Retinopathy of prematurity stage 2 and higher, peri-intraventricular hemorrhage grades 3 and 4, and death were excluded. RESULTS: The authors studied 46 very-low-birth-weight infants (92 eyes; birth weight, 1215 +/- 202 g; gestational age, 30.4 +/- 1.3 weeks). Both eyes had similar Doppler findings at each study interval. Systolic velocity increased significantly from birth to hospital discharge (P = 0.001; right eye, 17.85 +/- 5.3 cm/s and 23.18 +/- 4.88 cm/s; left eye, 17.78 +/- 5.19 cm/s and 23.51 +/- 5.63 cm/s), as did diastolic velocity (P = 0.02; right eye, 6.17 +/- 1.13 cm/s and 6.76 +/- 1.12 cm/s; left eye, 6.34 +/- 1.26 cm/s and 6.9 +/- 1.53 cm/s). Pulsatility and resistance indices did not change during the entire period. CONCLUSIONS: There is a typical pattern of ophthalmic artery systolic and diastolic blood flow velocities, and pulsatility and resistance indices during the neonatal period in very-low-birth-weight infants.
PURPOSE: To evaluate normal blood flow velocity and Doppler indices of the ophthalmic arteries from birth to hospital discharge of inborn infants at birth weights between 500 and 1500 g and gestational age <or=32 weeks. METHODS: A longitudinal prospective study with Doppler ultrasound was conducted in both eyes at 24 hours, 7 and 28 days, and hospital discharge for systolic and diastolic velocities, pulsatility, and resistance indices. Retinopathy of prematurity stage 2 and higher, peri-intraventricular hemorrhage grades 3 and 4, and death were excluded. RESULTS: The authors studied 46 very-low-birth-weight infants (92 eyes; birth weight, 1215 +/- 202 g; gestational age, 30.4 +/- 1.3 weeks). Both eyes had similar Doppler findings at each study interval. Systolic velocity increased significantly from birth to hospital discharge (P = 0.001; right eye, 17.85 +/- 5.3 cm/s and 23.18 +/- 4.88 cm/s; left eye, 17.78 +/- 5.19 cm/s and 23.51 +/- 5.63 cm/s), as did diastolic velocity (P = 0.02; right eye, 6.17 +/- 1.13 cm/s and 6.76 +/- 1.12 cm/s; left eye, 6.34 +/- 1.26 cm/s and 6.9 +/- 1.53 cm/s). Pulsatility and resistance indices did not change during the entire period. CONCLUSIONS: There is a typical pattern of ophthalmic artery systolic and diastolic blood flow velocities, and pulsatility and resistance indices during the neonatal period in very-low-birth-weight infants.