Subcutaneous nadroparin calcium in the treatment of recent onset retinal vein occlusion: a pilot study

Optimal management of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate whether nadroparin calcium may play some role in the treatment of recent onset (≤3 weeks' duration) RVO.

Twenty-four RVO patients were treated with subcutaneous nadroparin calcium (200 I.U./kg/day) for 6 weeks. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular thickness in the affected eye were measured at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months. Twenty-four RVO patients treated with oral pentoxifylline, matched for age, gender, RVO type, eye involvement, and BCVA at presentation, randomly selected from the RVO register, were used as controls.

Median BCVAs at baseline, month 3, and month 6 were 20/70 (range: 20/1,000-20/20), 20/40 (range: 20/100-20/20), and 20/30 (range: 20/200-20/20) in cases and 20/70 (range: 20/1,000-20/20), 20/60 (range: 20/320-20/25), and 20/60 (range: 20/500-20/20) in controls. Differences between groups were statistically significant at months 3 (P=0.025) and 6 (P=0.024). In the study group, the mean macular thickness was 510±207 μm at baseline, 384±198 μm after 3 months, and 313±170 μm after 6 months. Differences between baseline and months 3 and 6 were statistically significant (P=0.004 and P<0.001).

Results suggest that nadroparin calcium might become a potential candidate for the treatment of RVO. Larger trials are necessary to confirm these preliminary findings.