Color duplex study in ocular Behcet's disease

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the haemodynamic characteristics of ophthalmic vasculature of eyes with Behcet's disease. Both eyes of patients with Behcet's disease were evaluated and classified according to criteria recommended by International Study Group for Behcet's disease and after ophthalmological and fluorescein angiographic findings into 3 groups Behcet's disease patients without ocular involvement, Behcet's disease patients with mild to moderate vasculitis and Behcet's disease patients with severe vasculitis. Color duplex was done to quantitate blood flow velocities and vascular resistance in the ophthalmic artery [OA], central retinal artery [CRA] and central retinal vein [CRV] of these patients and also group of healthy volunteers. All four groups were age and sex matched. In the OA, peak systolic, end diastolic and average flow velocities were significantly higher in patients with retinal vasculitis due to Behcet's disease than in patients with Behcet's disease but without ocular involvement and in control groups [P < 0.05]. CRA blood flow velocities of patients with severe retinal vasculitis were significantly lower than those with mild to moderate vasculitis, Behcet's disease without ocular involvement and control groups. Also, peak systolic and end diastolic velocities in CRA were significantly lower in patients with Behcet's disease without ocular involvement than in the control group. In the CRV, the average blood flow velocities of patients with severe vasculitis were significantly lower than in mild to moderate vasculitis, Behcet's disease patients without ocular involvement and control groups. Color duplex is a non-invasive, rapid and useful technique for assessing patients with Behcet's disease and permitting both quantitative and qualitative examination of the ophthalmic vascular system