[Selective thrombophilia screening of young patients with retinal vein occlusion].

BACKGROUND

The potential impact of coagulation abnormalities on retinal vascular occlusive diseases, individually and in combination with cardiovascular risk factors, remains unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a prospective case-control study a cohort of 74 young patients with central, hemicentral or branch retinal vein occlusion (RVO) (<or= 45 years at the time of the RVO or a previous thromboembolic event) and 74 subjects matched for age and sex were prospectively screened for thrombophilic risk factors.

RESULTS

Overall, thrombophilic defects were found to be present in 38 of the 74 patients (51.4 %) and in 8 of 74 (10.8 %) controls (p < 0.0001). We found a strong association between the presence of thrombophilic disorders and a family history of thromboembolism (p < 0.0001). Patients without cardiovascular risk factors had a statistically significant higher frequency of coagulation disorders than patients with these risk factors (p = 0.0025).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that thrombophilic disorders are associated with the development of retinal vein occlusion. Selective screening of young patients, patients with a personal or family history of thromboembolism, and patients without cardiovascular risk factors may be helpful in identifying retinal vein occlusion patients with thrombophilic defects.