RETINAL DETACHMENT AND PROLIFERATIVE VITREORETINOPATHY Central Retinal Artery Blood Velocities, Intraocular Pressure, and Endothelin 1

Purpose: To analyze if endothelin 1 may have an effect on central retinal artery (CRA) blood flow velocities and intraocular pressure (IOP) in retinal detachment. Methods: Using radioimmunoassay, immunoreactive endothelin 1 levels were tested in both plasma and subretinal fluid specimens from patients with retinal detachment, while only plasma specimens from healthy subjects were tested. Central retinal artery Doppler sonography parameters and IOP were measured in eyes with retinal detachment, with and without proliferative vitreoretinopathy, their respective healthy fellow eyes, and normal eyes. Results: Retinal detachment eyes had lower CRA peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity, lower IOP, and higher plasma immunoreactive endothelin 1 levels than normal eyes (P < 0.0001). Eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy had lower CRA peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity, higher resistivity index, lower IOP, higher plasma immunoreactive endothelin 1 levels, and higher subretinal fluid immunoreactive endothelin 1 than eyes without proliferative vitreoretinopathy (P < 0.0001). A statistically significant linear correlation was found among CRA parameters, IOP, and subretinal fluid immunoreactive endothelin 1 measurements. Conclusion: Endothelin 1 has shown a close relationship with IOP and CRA blood flow changes associated to retinal detachment as well as with proliferative vitreoretinopathy complications.