Introduction: Growing aging populations pose new challenges to public health as the number of people living with dementia grows in tandem. To alleviate the burden of dementia, prodromal signs of cognitive impairment must be recognized and risk factors reduced. In this context, non-invasive techniques may be used to identify early changes and monitor disease progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe retina allows noninvasive in vivo assessment of the microcirculation. Autoregulation of the retinal microvasculature meets the changing requirements of local metabolic demand and maintains adequate blood flow. Analysis of the retinal vascular reactivity contributes to the understanding of regulatory physiology and its relationship to the systemic microcirculation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The effects of HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) on microvascular function are poorly explored. We compared retinal vessel functional responses to flicker light-induced provocation (FLIP) in people living with HIV (PLWH) and people living without HIV (PLWoutH).
Methods: We included 115 PLWH and 51 PLWoutH with a median age of 41 years.
Endothelial dysfunction is a key factor promoting atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications. Hemodialysis patients typically show various cardiovascular complications and impaired retinal venular dilation has been described as a risk factor for mortality. Non-invasive retinal vessel analysis provides insight into the microvasculature and endothelial function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: We aimed to characterize several aspects of retinal vascular dynamics in a patient with arrythmia in order to elicit additional diagnostic information on microvascular dysfunction.
Methods: A 68-year-old male patient with arrythmia and an age- and gender-matched control subject underwent ocular examination including dynamic retinal vessel assessment with flicker light provocation. Retinal vessel diameters were measured continuously following a standard protocol (IMEDOS Systems, Jena, Germany).