title: Coagulation disorders and the risk of retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: Over the past years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of identifiable causes of thrombophilia. However, to date, there are no large, prospective studies to assess an optimal, cost-effective approach with regard to screening and case finding for thrombophilic risk factors in patients presenting with retinal vessel occlusion. Two hundred twenty-eight patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and 130 age-matched healthy controls were prospectively screened for thrombophilic risk factors. Both cohorts were divided into three subgroups, depending on the patients' age at the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event. Patient age < or =45 years was associated with a high prevalence of coagulation disorders (p<0.0001). Among patients < or =45 years and >45 to < or =60 years, a family history of thromboembolism was strongly associated with the presence of thrombophilic disorders. The absence of cardiovascular risk factors was found to be a strong predictor for the presence of coagulation disorders in all patient groups (< or =45 years, p=0.003; >45 to < or =60 years, p=0.0008; >60 years, p=0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of resistance to activated protein C (p=0.014), antiphospholipid antibodies (p=0.022), and deficiency of the anticoagulant proteins (p=0.05) as independent risk factors for the development of RVO among patients < or =45 years. Our results indicate that thrombophilic disorders are associated with the development of retinal vein occlusion in patients < or =45 years by the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event, in patients with a family history of thromboembolism, or in patients without cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Hospital, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. kuhli@med.uni-frankfurt.de
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhli-Hattenbach
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Scharrer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lüchtenberg
authors.forename: L-O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Hattenbach
mesh_terms: D020016:Activated Protein C Resistance; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000097:blood; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019851:Thrombophilia; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors