Systemic abnormalities associated with retinal vein occlusion in young patients

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vascular Medicine
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) can affect younger individuals.
• Systemic abnormalities are often associated with RVO.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate systemic abnormalities in patients aged 50 or younger with RVO.
• To specifically examine the prevalence of atherosclerotic diseases and thrombophilic disorders.
• To identify key risk factors for RVO in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical charts for patients diagnosed with RVO between 1995 and 2015.
• Inclusion criteria: age ≤50 years.
• Primary outcome: number of systemic abnormalities; secondary outcomes: RVO type and location.

Main Results:

• Atherosclerotic diseases were the most frequent systemic abnormality (55.1%).
• Hypertension (27.55%), diabetes mellitus (16.33%), and dyslipidemia (5.1%) were common.
• Thrombophilic disorders were less prevalent than expected (5.1%).

Conclusions:

• Atherosclerotic diseases are the primary systemic association in young RVO patients.
• Screening for hypertension, diabetes, and lipid abnormalities is essential.
• Consider thrombophilia testing for patients <40, or with a history/family history of thrombosis.