Value of color Doppler ultrasonography in the evaluation of orbital vascular flow in end-stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis

WOS: 000226031800011PubMed ID: 15690616Purpose: To evaluate choroidal and retinal vascular flow dynamics by means of color Doppler ultrasonography in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis and to compare these findings with healthy controls. Material and Methods: Color Doppler ultrasonography and spectral analysis of nasal and temporal posterior ciliary and central retinal artery flow of both eyes were performed in 20 patients (40 eyes) and 22 controls (44 eyes) to assess peak systolic flow velocity, end-diastolic flow velocity, and resistive indices (RI). Patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and any cardiac pathology were not included in the study. A general ophthalmologic examination was performed in all patients and controls. Results: The average peak-systolic and end-diastolic blood flow velocities of nasal (12.88+/-4.91/6.88+/-3.26) and temporal (15.22+/-9.59/6.41+/-3.97) posterior ciliary artery and central retinal artery (14.94+/-8.38/6.7+/-4.13) in patients were significantly higher than the corresponding values of the controls. The RI values of nasal (0.52+/-0.10) and temporal (0.58+/-0.12) posterior ciliary artery and central retinal artery (0.55+/-0.11) in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis were significantly lower than in the controls. Conclusion: Choroidal and retinal blood flow velocities are higher and RI values for all three vessels lower in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing hemodialysis compared to healthy controls. These alterations may be related to either increased choroidal blood flow or vasoconstriction of the proximal vessels

Primary spinal hydatid cyst in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Spinal hydatid cyst is a serious and unusual infectious disease. There is little information on infections caused by cestodes in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although infrequent, infections by cestodes constitute a cause of disease in HIV-infected patients, especially in endemic areas. This report presents, for the first time in the literature, primary spinal cyst hydatid in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome