Characteristics of Central Retinal Vein Occlusion in African Americans.

PURPOSE

This article studies whether the characteristics and clinical course of African American patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) differ from other racial groups.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients diagnosed with CRVO at Duke Eye Center, Durham, North Carolina. Presenting characteristics, examination findings, treatment course, and functional and structural outcomes were compared based on patient-reported race.

RESULTS

A total of 479 patients with CRVO were included (64.7% white, 22.2% African American, 1.7% mixed race, and 11.4% other races). African American patients were older (68.1 vs 64.3 years, = .049), more likely to be hypertensive ( = .001) and diabetic ( = .000), and had higher rates of open-angle glaucoma ( < .000). Presenting visual acuity (VA) was worse in African Americans (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution 1.25 vs 0.96, = .010). There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients requiring panretinal photocoagulation, intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), or intravitreal corticosteroid; however, analysis of treatment-naive individuals showed a higher number of anti-VEGF injections in the first year in African Americans. Final VA was not significantly different between groups, but African Americans had higher rates of neovascular sequelae (25.0% vs 11.8%, = .019; odds ratio, 2.295, = .088).

CONCLUSIONS

African Americans with CRVO presented with more severe visual impairment and more systemic and ocular risk factors for CRVO. Treatment-naive African Americans had a greater treatment burden during the first year of follow-up.