Purpose: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of 5 non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (non-PDR) groups classified by blood flow patterns on color Doppler imaging(CDI).
Methods: Eighty-one diabetic patients with non-PDR and normal serum albumin were examined by standard ophthalmic examinations with CDI and evaluated.
Results: Fifteen cases (18.5%) showed a normal blood flow pattern, and 26 cases (32.1%) showed a lower velocity only in the central retinal artery (CRA) as seen in conventional diabetic retinopathy. Twenty-nine cases (35.8%) showed a higher velocity in the central retinal vein (CRV) than CRA. Nine cases (ll.l%) had a blood flow pattern as seen in coronary artery disease. The remaining 2 cases (2.5%) showed a blood flow pattern as seen in occlusive carotid artery disease. Patients with narrowed CRV had significantly more frequent cystoid macular edema. Patients with coronary artery disease were significantly older, had lower diastolic blood pressure, and poorer visual acuity.
Conclusions: Half of the subjects with non-PDR belonged to subgroups with specific CDIs, related to diabetic maculopathy and ocular ischemy. It would be useful to predict the prognosis of non-PDR by CDI.