[Impaired glucose tolerance and branch retinal vein obstruction]

Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) has been one of the risk factors of Branch Retinal Vein Obstruction (BRVO). In order to study the contribution of IGT to the pathogenesis of BRVO, the 75 gram oral glucose tolerance test and immunoreactive insulin (IRI) measurement were investigated in 180 BRVO patients. IGT was found in 103 patients, and about 40% of these patients showed hyperinsulinemia and secondary insulin resistance. This result suggests that IGT with BRVO are in a state of hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia play an important role in thrombogenesis, such as injury to the venous endothelial cells.