[Retinal thrombosis in young patients. Immunological and clinical aspects]

To ascertain preexisting medical conditions, clinical evolution of retinopathy, and associated immunological disorders in a series of young patients suffering from retinal thrombosis, and to determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies.

Twenty two patients younger than 50 years, who had presented an acute retinal thrombotic episode, were studied prospectively with a general physical, ophthalmoscopic and immunological examination, placing special emphasis on the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant).

No baseline disease stood out significantly over the others, and the most frequent risk factor found was systemic arterial hypertension (5/22%). No associated risk factor was found in nine cases (41%), and more than two factors were found in six cases (27%). Most of the vascular occlusions affected the venous vessels (18/81%), and five of them were associated with vasculitis. The ophthalmologic follow-up showed a rapid evolution to retinal neovascularization in 11 cases. Our data show many immunologically altered values, there being nine cases (41%) of the series with more than four parameters altered. The antiphospholipid assay showed a high prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies (5/23%), and two patients were diagnosed of primary antiphospholipid syndrome. The lupus anticoagulant was negative in all patients.

The high prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies and immunologic abnormalities found in the retinal thrombosis younger patients leads us to recommend the systematic immunological study in these subjects. It has relevant diagnostic and therapeutic implications in a population with no evident associated risk factors and a greater severity of retinopathy.