Prevalence and systemic risk factors for retinal vein occlusion in a general Japanese population: the Hisayama study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and its systemic relevant factors in a general Japanese population aged 40 years or older.


METHODS
In 1998, 1775 Hisayama residents consented to participate in the study. Each participant underwent a comprehensive examination that included ophthalmic testing. RVO was determined by grading color fundus photographs. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for RVO.


RESULTS
Of the 1775 subjects examined, 38 had RVO. The prevalence of RVO was 2.1% (2.0% for branch RVO and 0.2% for central RVO). After adjustment for age and sex, it was found that systolic and diastolic blood pressures, hypertension, and hematocrit were significantly associated with RVO. In multivariate analysis, age (per 10 years; odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-2.08), hypertension (OR, 4.25; 95% CI, 1.82-9.94), and hematocrit (per 10%; OR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.10-1.22) remained independently significant risk factors for RVO. Both high-normal blood pressure and hypertension were significantly associated with RVO. Furthermore, compared with normotensive subjects without high hematocrit, the likelihood of RVO was markedly high in subjects having both high blood pressure and high hematocrit (age- and sex-adjusted OR, 36.0; 95% CI, 4.43-292).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that the prevalence of RVO is higher in the Japanese than in other Asians or Caucasians and that older age, higher hematocrit, and both hypertension and high-normal blood pressure are significant risk factors for RVO in the Japanese.
Yasuda
Miho
M
Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Kiyohara
Yutaka
Y
Arakawa
Satoshi
S
Hata
Yasuaki
Y
Yonemoto
Koji
K
Doi
Yasufumi
Y
Iida
Mitsuo
M
Ishibashi
Tatsuro
T
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000208:ethnology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution
D001786:Blood Glucose