To explore the effect of Flammer syndrome-like reaction on blood flow changes in ocular artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA)and posterior ciliary artery (PCA) in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

From February 2019 to December 2020, 115 RP patients (115 eyes) were collected retrospectively in Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University. Among of them, there were 60 males (60 eyes) and 55 females (55 eyes) with an average age of (43.0±11.3) years-old (ranged from 21 to 70 years-old). All patients′symptoms and signs of Flammer syndrome were evaluated using a questionnaire, and then they were divided into two groups: 31 cases (31 eyes) in the positive group and 84 cases (84 eyes) in the negative group. All patients′ peak systolic velocity (PSV) value, end-diastolic velocity (EDV) value, time average maximum velocity (TAMV) value, pulsation index (PI) value and resistance index (RI) value of OA, CRA and PCA were observed and recorded using the color Doppler angiography (CDI). The quantitative data was expressed as (±s). The positive group, the negative group and control group (healthy people) data in the previous literature the changes of the parameters of CDI between three groups were compared using the method of single-factor variance analysis, and the independent sample t testing was used to further compare.

The PSV values of OA in the positive group, the negative group and the control group were (30.25±8.36) cm/s, (30.89±8.04) cm/s, and (32.08±9.88) cm/s; EDV values were (7.04±2.84) cm/s, (7.749±3.39) cm/s and (7.46±2.33) cm/s; PI values were (1.73±0.43), (1.77±0.50) and (1.91±0.48). After the analysis of single-sample variance, the differences were not statistically significant in 4 indices of OA among three groups (F=0.644, 0.301, 1.539, 2.555, 1.841; P>0.05). The PSV values of CRA in the positive group, the negative group and the control group were (5.81±3.85) cm/s, (5.25±1.82) cm/s and (10.51±2.85)cm/s; EDV values were (1.86±0.74) cm/s, (1.94±1.64) cm/s and (2.89±1.11) cm/s; TAMV values were (3.11±1.49) cm/s, (2.81±0.95) cm/s and (5.31±2.11) cm/s; PI values were (1.22±0.39), (1.25±0.37) and (1.59±0.54). After analysis of single-sample variance, the differences were statistically significant in 4 indices of CRA among three groups (F=92.769, 13.821, 55.877, 14.803; P<0.05). 4 indices of CRA in the control group were higher than positive groups. After t testing, the difference was statistically significant (t=-6.797, -7.805, -8.210, -5.303; P<0.05); 4 indices of CRA in the control group were higher than negative groups. After t testing, the difference was statistically significant (t=-26.459, -5.329, -24.107, -8.532; P<0.05). The RI values of CRA in the positive group, the negative group and the control group were (0.65±0.10), (0.69±0.34) and (0.72±0.08). After analysis of the variance of single samples, the difference among three groups was not statistically significant (F=1.16, P>0.05). The PSV values of PCA in the positive group, the negative group and the control group were (6.94±2.12) cm/s, (6.75±2.18) cm/s and (11.56±3.15) cm/s; EDV values were (2.19±0.77) cm/s, (2.27±1.70) cm/s and (3.30±1.36) cm/s; TAMV values were (3.76±1.25) cm/s, (3.65±1.40) cm/s and (5.83±1.91) cm/s; PI values were (1.27±0.35), (1.31±0.37) and (1.49±0.43); RI values were (0.67±0.10), (0.67±0.10) and (0.73±0.14). After the analysis of single-sample variance, the differences were statistically significant in 4 indices of PCA among three groups (F=81.82, 13.388, 44.188, 6.01, 6.387; P<0.05). PCA of the control group were higher than the positive group. After t testing, the difference was statistically significant (t= -12.136, -7.777, -9.234, -3.567, -3.697; P<0.05). 4 indices of PCA in control group were higher than negative group. After t testing, the difference was statistically significant (t=-20.223, -2 5.560, -14.247, -4.417, -4.945; P<0.05). After t testing, the difference in 4 indices of PCA between the positive group and the negative group was non-significant (t=-0.407, -0.255, -0.397, 0.577, 0.331; P>0.05).

The vascular regulation dysfunction of patients with RP was shown the abnormal blood supply of OA, which might further aggravate the condition of RP and increase the risk of blindness in patients.