An adequate vascular perfusion status is essential not only to maintain life, but to ensure the proper physiology of the different systems that form the animal’s body. Due to its role in the transport of oxygen and nutrients toward, and the removal of cellular waste products away from the body’s tissues, the circulatory system is responsible for the maintenance of body homeostasis. Production related functions in farm animals are not an exception, and directly depend on sufficient vascular physiology. In the past, the study of blood flow in large domestic species was restricted to highly invasive techniques. However, even when such techniques are the foundation for the actual understanding of vascular dynamics in these animals, their limited feasibility and potential impact over the normal vascular physiology represent significant limitations to these approaches. Recently, the development and application of non-invasive technologies (i.e., Doppler and B- mode ultrasound) to the area of animal sciences has provided the potential for the study of vascular dynamics while, the negative implications aforementioned are avoided. In our studies, these technologies were applied to assess the role of the circulatory system on different production related variables such as: temperament, reproduction, and milk production in the bovine. A tendency toward differences in jugular blood flow was associated with the temperament in beef calves in this study. Also, a significant increase in vasodilation in the uterine arteries of beef cows was found to be associated with a numerically higher reproductive efficiency (i.e., pregnancy rates). Moreover, an increase in blood flow towards the mammary gland in dairy cows was associated with administration of bovine somatotropin. In conclusion, B- mode and Doppler ultrasound resulted in tools able to reflect the essential role of an adequate vascular perfusion in the normal physiology and productive performance in the bovine. However, in real farm scenarios the feasibility of these techniques in large domestic species is limited. Therefore, further specialization of this instrument to the conditions existent in such farm scenarios are recommended to improve its feasibility and to significantly accelerate the rate of knowledge acquisition in this area.

INTRODUÇÃO: A orbitopatia de Graves é uma doença autoimune cujas manifestações clínicas ocorrem por infiltração tecidual inflamatória. Apresenta estágio ativo inicial e estágio sequelar posteriormente, podendo se manifestar nas formas clínicas miogênica ou lipogênica. A inflamação da órbita pode gerar importante congestão, agravando manifestações clínicas e comprometendo o sucesso da terapia específica em alguns pacientes. O objetivo deste trabalho é a avaliação da congestão orbitária feita pelo estudo das características do fluxo sanguíneo na veia oftálmica superior, por meio do Doppler colorido de órbitas, nos grupos de pacientes com orbitopatia de graves em fase ativa, em fase sequelar miogênica e em fase sequelar lipogênica, além do grupo controle. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal prospectivo realizado entre maio de 2006 e abril de 2008 no Serviço de Órbita do HCFMUSP. Noventa órbitas de 46 pacientes com orbitopatia de Graves foram incluídas, assim como 38 órbitas de 20 pacientes do grupo controle. Foi feito exame oftalmológico completo e avaliação pelo DCO em todos os pacientes. Pacientes com orbitopatia de Graves foram divididos em grupos com doença em atividade e doença em estágio sequelar nas apresentações miogênicas ou lipogênicas. O sentido, as velocidades máxima e mínima do fluxo sanguíneo na veia oftálmica superior, e o intervalo entre as mesmas, foram aferidos. Os achados foram comparados entre os diferentes grupos e analisados também em relação à restrição muscular, exoftalmometria, escore de atividade clínica, idade, sexo, lado estudado, comorbidades e tabagismo. RESULTADOS: Foi encontrada diferença no sentido do fluxo sanguíneo da veia oftálmica superior (p<0,001), na velocidade máxima (p=0,001), na velocidade mínima (p=0,002) e no intervalo entre a velocidade máxima e a mínima do mesmo (p<0,001) entre os grupos de estudo. A velocidade máxima do fluxo sanguíneo apresentou correlação com a restrição muscular (p=0,003), o escore de atividade clínica (p<0,001) e a exoftalmometria (p=0,015), enquanto a velocidade mínima correlacionou-se com restrição muscular (p<0,001) e escore de atividade clínica (p=0,006). CONCLUSÕES: Há diferença mensurável na velocidade e no sentido do fluxo sanguíneo da veia oftálmica superior entre pacientes dos diferentes grupos de estudo / INTRODUCTION: Graves orbitopathy is an autoimmune disease whose clinical manifestations are secondary to inflammatory tissue infiltration. It presents an initial active stage and a later latent stage, and can manifest myogenic or lipogenic clinical forms. Inflammation of the orbit can generate significant congestion, worsening clinical manifestations and limiting the success of specific therapy in some patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate orbital congestion studying the characteristics of blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein with the color Doppler in groups of patients with Graves Orbitopathy in active stage, lipogenic latent stage and myogenic latent stage, and patients from the control group. METHODS: Transversal study made between May 2006 and April 2008 in the Orbit Department of University of São Paulo Medical School. Ninety orbits from 46 patients with Graves orbitopathy and 38 orbits from 20 patients of the control group were included. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological exams including color Doppler of the orbits. Patients with Graves orbitopathy were divided in active stage, latent lipogenic stage and latent myogenic stage groups. The direction of venous blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein and its maximum and minimum velocities - including the interval between them - were measured. The results were compared among the groups and analyzed also in relation to muscular restriction, exophthalmometry, clinical activity score, age, sex, studied orbit side, comorbidities and use of tobacco. RESULTS: There was difference in blood flow direction of the superior ophthalmic vein (p<0,001), blood flow maximum speed (p=0,001), blood flow minimum speed (p=0,002) and blood flow speed interval (p<0,001) among the groups of this study. Blood flow maximum speed presented correlation with muscle restriction (p=0,003), clinical activity score (p<0,001) and exophthalmometry (p=0,015). Blood flow minimum speed presented correlation with muscle restriction (p<0,001) and clinical activity score (p=0,006). CONCLUSIONS: There are measurable difference in speed and direction of blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein among patients of the different groups of this study

INTRODUÇÃO: A orbitopatia de Graves é uma doença autoimune cujas manifestações clínicas ocorrem por infiltração tecidual inflamatória. Apresenta estágio ativo inicial e estágio sequelar posteriormente, podendo se manifestar nas formas clínicas miogênica ou lipogênica. A inflamação da órbita pode gerar importante congestão, agravando manifestações clínicas e comprometendo o sucesso da terapia específica em alguns pacientes. O objetivo deste trabalho é a avaliação da congestão orbitária feita pelo estudo das características do fluxo sanguíneo na veia oftálmica superior, por meio do Doppler colorido de órbitas, nos grupos de pacientes com orbitopatia de graves em fase ativa, em fase sequelar miogênica e em fase sequelar lipogênica, além do grupo controle. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal prospectivo realizado entre maio de 2006 e abril de 2008 no Serviço de Órbita do HCFMUSP. Noventa órbitas de 46 pacientes com orbitopatia de Graves foram incluídas, assim como 38 órbitas de 20 pacientes do grupo controle. Foi feito exame oftalmológico completo e avaliação pelo DCO em todos os pacientes. Pacientes com orbitopatia de Graves foram divididos em grupos com doença em atividade e doença em estágio sequelar nas apresentações miogênicas ou lipogênicas. O sentido, as velocidades máxima e mínima do fluxo sanguíneo na veia oftálmica superior, e o intervalo entre as mesmas, foram aferidos. Os achados foram comparados entre os diferentes grupos e analisados também em relação à restrição muscular, exoftalmometria, escore de atividade clínica, idade, sexo, lado estudado, comorbidades e tabagismo. RESULTADOS: Foi encontrada diferença no sentido do fluxo sanguíneo da veia oftálmica superior (p<0,001), na velocidade máxima (p=0,001), na velocidade mínima (p=0,002) e no intervalo entre a velocidade máxima e a mínima do mesmo (p<0,001) entre os grupos de estudo. A velocidade máxima do fluxo sanguíneo apresentou correlação com a restrição muscular (p=0,003), o escore de atividade clínica (p<0,001) e a exoftalmometria (p=0,015), enquanto a velocidade mínima correlacionou-se com restrição muscular (p<0,001) e escore de atividade clínica (p=0,006). CONCLUSÕES: Há diferença mensurável na velocidade e no sentido do fluxo sanguíneo da veia oftálmica superior entre pacientes dos diferentes grupos de estudo / INTRODUCTION: Graves orbitopathy is an autoimmune disease whose clinical manifestations are secondary to inflammatory tissue infiltration. It presents an initial active stage and a later latent stage, and can manifest myogenic or lipogenic clinical forms. Inflammation of the orbit can generate significant congestion, worsening clinical manifestations and limiting the success of specific therapy in some patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate orbital congestion studying the characteristics of blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein with the color Doppler in groups of patients with Graves Orbitopathy in active stage, lipogenic latent stage and myogenic latent stage, and patients from the control group. METHODS: Transversal study made between May 2006 and April 2008 in the Orbit Department of University of São Paulo Medical School. Ninety orbits from 46 patients with Graves orbitopathy and 38 orbits from 20 patients of the control group were included. All patients underwent complete ophthalmological exams including color Doppler of the orbits. Patients with Graves orbitopathy were divided in active stage, latent lipogenic stage and latent myogenic stage groups. The direction of venous blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein and its maximum and minimum velocities - including the interval between them - were measured. The results were compared among the groups and analyzed also in relation to muscular restriction, exophthalmometry, clinical activity score, age, sex, studied orbit side, comorbidities and use of tobacco. RESULTS: There was difference in blood flow direction of the superior ophthalmic vein (p<0,001), blood flow maximum speed (p=0,001), blood flow minimum speed (p=0,002) and blood flow speed interval (p<0,001) among the groups of this study. Blood flow maximum speed presented correlation with muscle restriction (p=0,003), clinical activity score (p<0,001) and exophthalmometry (p=0,015). Blood flow minimum speed presented correlation with muscle restriction (p<0,001) and clinical activity score (p=0,006). CONCLUSIONS: There are measurable difference in speed and direction of blood flow in the superior ophthalmic vein among patients of the different groups of this study