title: Elevated lipoprotein (a) levels are an independent risk factor for retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] and other thrombophilic disorders among retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients with regard to age and various risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 patients with central, hemicentral or branch RVO who had undergone routine thrombophilia screening. Data were compared with 100 controls. Both cohorts were divided into three subgroups (≤45 years, >45-≤60 years or >60 years), depending on the patients' age at the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated Lp(a) plasma levels were significantly more prevalent among RVO patients than among controls (p < 0.0001; OR: 4.8). Moreover, we determined age ≤60 years by the time of the first thromboembolic event as a strong predictor of elevated Lp(a) (p = 0.0002). The coincidence of elevated Lp(a) with other coagulation disorders further increased the OR for RVO to 9.3 (95% CI 2.1-41.8). Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (OR: 3.1, p = 0.0004), elevated lipoprotein (a) levels (OR: 5.2, p = 0.0001) and increased factor VIII activity (OR: 5.9, p = 0.001) as independent risk factors for the development of RVO among patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that elevated plasma levels of Lp(a) are associated with the development of RVO. Selective screening of young patients and subjects with a personal or family history of thromboembolism may be helpful in identifying RVO patients with elevated Lp(a).
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhli-Hattenbach
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic II, Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohaematology, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Miesbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Bürgerhospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lüchtenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kohnen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, City Hospital, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars-Olof
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Hattenbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)
keywords: lipoprotein (a); retinal vein occlusion; thrombophilia; thrombophilic risk factors