[Thrombophilic disorders associated with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy in patients < 60 years of age].

BACKGROUND

The potential impact of coagulation abnormalities on non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION), individually and in combination with cardiovascular risk factors, remains unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a prospective case-control study a cohort of 26 NAION patients < 60 years at the time of the NAION or a previous thromboembolic event and 50 subjects matched for age and sex were prospectively screened for thrombophilic risk factors.

RESULTS

Overall, thrombophilic defects were found to be present in 12 of 26 patients (46.2 %) and in 9 of 50 (18 %) controls (p = 0.01). The most frequent coagulation disorders were high levels of factor VIII (p = 0.04) and lipoprotein (a) (p = 0.03). Moreover, we identified two patients with homozygous resistance to activated protein C, which is the first description of this coagulation disorder associated with NAION. Patients without cardiovascular risk factors had a statistically significant higher frequency of coagulation disorders than patients with these risk factors (p = 0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that thrombophilic disorders are associated with the development of non-arteriitic ischaemic optic neuropathy in patients < 60 years of age at the time of a first thromboembolic event. Selective screening of young patients and patients without cardiovascular risk factors may be helpful in identifying NAION patients with thrombophilic defects.