Effect of isovolaemic haemodilution on visual outcome in branch retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of isovolaemic haemodilution therapy (IHT) in the treatment of patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).


METHODS
Patients presenting with BRVO between 1 July 1991 and 31 August 1993 were eligible for inclusion and randomised into treatment and control groups. Patients randomised to receive IHT were treated for 6 weeks with venesection and volume replacement using hydroxyethylstarch, a plasma expander. The target haematocrit was 35%. Follow up was for 1 year.


RESULTS
The baseline visual acuity of the two groups was similar at 0.74 and 0.75 logMAR units (Snellen 6/36), for the IHT and control groups, respectively. At 6 weeks, visual acuity in the IHT group had improved by 0.20 logMAR units (2 lines on the Bailey-Lovie chart) (p = 0.0001). Vision was unchanged in the control group. At 1 year, the IHT group exhibited an improvement of 0.43 logMAR units. By comparison, the improvement in the control group at 1 year was significantly less at 0.17 logMAR units (p = 0.03). The final visual acuity in the IHT and control groups was 0.30 (Snellen 6/12) and 0.60 (Snellen 6/24) logMAR units, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The results support the theory that IHT has a positive effect on the visual outcome in patients with BRVO.
Chen
H C
HC
Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London.
Wiek
J
J
Gupta
A
A
Luckie
A
A
Kohner
E M
EM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006438:Hemodilution; D006801:Humans; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018962:Phlebotomy; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000628:therapy*; D014792:Visual Acuity
D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; D010952:Plasma Substitutes