title: Central retinal vein occlusion in a young Chinese population: risk factors and associated morbidity and mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for central retinal vein occlusion and associated morbidity and mortality in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants included patients with central retinal vein occlusion 40 years old and younger. Predisposing factors, mortality, and systemic complications were examined in this group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unilateral (n = 19) and bilateral (n = 3) central retinal vein occlusions were identified in a total of 22 patients (25 eyes), with a mean follow-up time of 37 months. Hypercholesterolemia (65%), hypertriglyceridemia (64%), and hyperhomocysteinemia (42%) were all identified as risk factors. Three patients (14%) developed stroke and 1 (5%) developed transient ischemic attacks during follow-up. Renal failure and pulmonary hypertension resulted in the death of two patients. The mean initial and final visual acuities (+ or - standard deviation) were 20/400 (+ or - 20/250) and 20/500 (+ or - 20/320), respectively, and treatments did not result in vision improvement (P = 0.57). The poor visual prognosis was likely due to macular edema in 7 eyes (28%), optic atrophy in 4 eyes (16%), and secondary glaucoma in 3 eyes (12%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Morbidity and mortality are high in young Chinese patients with central retinal vein occlusion who may have associated serious complications including stroke, blindness, and death. Central retinal vein occlusion may serve as an initial clinical presentation of serious systemic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jane Zea-Chin
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chi-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Frank Shih-Chang
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Chia-Pang
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Tun-Lu
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuan-Jen
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult