AbstractPurpose To compare total retinal blood flow rates before and after retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treatment with laser photocoagulation using laser speckle contrast imaging. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants 14 eyes from 8 premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit receiving laser photocoagulation treatment for ROP. Methods Total retinal blood flow was measured using laser speckle contrast imaging longitudinally before and after laser treatment. Subject characteristics and clinical ROP features were included in regression analysis using generalized estimating equations to account for two eyes per subject and longitudinal measures over time. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measure was peak total retinal blood flow (TRBF). Results Prior to ROP treatment with laser photocoagulation, subjects had a peak TRBF of 8.8 ± 2.1 a.u. compared to 7.3 ± 1.4 a.u. following treatment (mean difference=1.5 a.u., p=0.04). Quadrant-specific blood flow analysis found that the nasal quadrant demonstrated the most significant blood flow reduction following laser treatment (p=0.02), followed by the superior quadrant (p=0.03). The inferior (p=0.3) and temporal (p=0.4) quadrants did not have significant blood flow reduction. Peak TRBF decreased over time following laser treatment, but the decrease was not significant (β= -0.3 a.u./week, p=0.2). Conclusion We observed lower TRBF after ROP treatment with laser photocoagulation.
Mansoor et al. (Sun,) studied this question.