Retinal vascular occlusion and thrombocyte aggregation

In 26 patients (11 women and 15 men) with acute retinal vascular occlusion, the courses of spontaneous and collagen-induced thrombocyte aggregation were investigated 1 to 14 days (mean 6.8 +/- 4.8 days) after the onset of the symptoms and before the start of treatment, by means of the platelet aggregation test (PAT III) described by Breddin et al. (1975a). The results were compared with those of a control group consisting of 37 age-matched glaucoma and cataract patients (20 women and 17 men) with no vascular occlusions. Thrombocyte aggregation was high in 59.5% of the patients in the control group and 100% of the patients with retinal vascular occlusion. This would appear to show that pathological elevation of thrombocyte aggregation has considerable pathogenetic significance as an inducing factor of retinal vascular occlusion in the presence of concomitant arterial sclerosis and that treatment with inhibitors of thrombocyte aggregation would be appropriate.