CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERIES IN THE FULL-TERM NEWBORN - DECREASE IN WIDTH AND TORTUOSITY DURING UNEVENTFUL ADAPTATION

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 36  (2) , 107-121
Abstract
The fundi of 87 full-term newborns were repeatedly photographed from 2 to 144 h of life. At 2 h of life the width of the temporal arteries in the peripapillary area was .apprx. 100 .mu.m and that of the nasal arteries .apprx. 70 .mu.m; all gradually decreased by about 30% during uneventful adaptation in room air. This decrease did not correlate with concomitant tcpO2 [transcutaneous O2 tension] and blood pressure measurements. In most babies the arteries were slightly tortuous at 2 h of life and gradually straightened during adaptation. In some babies there was marked tortuosity at 2 h of life, and this finding was significantly correlated with fetal risk factors. Apparently, marked tortuosity is a sign of passed acute fetal distress and that funduscopy in risk babies should be promoted.

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