Thrombophilic risk factors for retinal vein occlusion

The aim is to study risk factors for retinal vein occlusion (RVO), such as thrombophilic and cardiovascular risk factors (CRF). A retrospective consecutive case series of 60 patients with RVO was made, tested for CRF, hyperhomocysteinemia, lupic anticoagulant, antiphospholipid antibody and 5 gene variants: factorV (FV) Leiden (G1691A), factor II (PT G20210A), 5,1-methylenetetra-hydrofolate reductase (MTHFR; 677 C >T and 1298A > C), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1; 4G/5G). More than 1 CRF were present in 36 patients (60%), which had a significantly higher mean age at diagnosis (66.7 +/- 12.9 versus 59.5 +/- 13.7 with <= 1 CRF, [t(57)= -2.05, p = 0.045, d = 0.54). Patients with thermolabile MTHFR forms with decreased enzyme activity (T677T or C677T/A1298C) had a significant lower mean age [57.6 +/- 15.1; t (58) = 3.32; p = 0.002; d = 0.846] than patients with normal MTHFR enzyme activity (68.5 +/- 10.2). Regarding CRF and thermolabile forms of MTHFR, the mean age at diagnosis could be significantly predicted [F(2,56)= 7.18; p = 0.002] by the equation: 64.8 - 10.3 x (thermolabile MTHFR) - 5.31 x (<= 1CRF). Screening of MTHFR polymorphisms may be useful in younger RVO patients, particularly when multiple CRF are absent.