Moderate hyperhomocysteinemia and early-onset central retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of moderate fasting hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and postmethionine load (PML) HHcy among patients with early-onset central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).


METHODS
The prevalence of fasting HHcy and that of PML HHcy were evaluated in a consecutive series of 58 patients with CRVO who were younger than 56 years of age (mean age, 40.3 years) and in 103 controls (mean age, 39.6 years). Plasma folate, vitamin B12, and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) levels were measured in 42 patients and 67 controls.


RESULTS
Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios for CRVO patients were 3.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-10.8) for fasting HHcy, 3.50 (95% CI, 1.07-11.4) for PML HHcy, and 3.00 (1.18-7.6) for fasting HHcy and PML HHcy in subjects with normal fasting total homocysteine (tHcy) levels. Moderate HHcy was associated with reduced plasma levels of folate and PLP (P < or = 0.04). There was no significant dependence of fasting and PML tHcy levels on any traditional risk factor evaluated.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate HHcy is an independent risk factor for early-onset CRVO.
Lattanzio
Rosangela
R
Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University Hospital S. Raffaele, Milan, Italy. lattanzio.rosangela@hsr.it
Sampietro
Francesca
F
Ramoni
Andrea
A
Fattorini
Annalisa
A
Brancato
Rosario
R
D'Angelo
Armando
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008715:Methionine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate / Q000097:blood; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
D006710:Homocysteine; D011732:Pyridoxal Phosphate; D005492:Folic Acid; D008715:Methionine; D014805:Vitamin B 12