CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSIONS IN ALBANIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe selected clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in Albania, a transitional post-communist country in the Western Balkans. METHODS: This study was conducted at the Primary Health Care Center No. 2 in Tirana, the capital city of Albania during the period 2013-2016. Overall, during the study period, there were 44 patients diagnosed with RVO (27 men and 17 women; overall mean age: 69.5±11.5 years). The diagnosis of RVO was based on signs and symptoms indicating a quick reduction of the sight/vision, fundoscopy, fluorescein angiography and the optical coherence tomography. Furthermore, information on clinical characteristics of each patient diagnosed with RVO was collected. RESULTS: The test of visual acuity for the left eyes evidenced a much lower median value in men than in women (0.04 vs. 0.20, respectively, P=0.09), indicating a more severe visual impairment in male patients. Conversely, the difference in the median values for the right eyes was smaller (0.06 vs. 0.10, respectively, P=0.27). The prevalence of branch retinal vein occlusion was substantially higher in women than in men (53% vs. 19%, P=0.02), whereas the prevalence of central retinal vein occlusion ( CRVO) was considerably and significantly higher in male than in female patients (85% vs. 47%, respectively, P=0.02). The ischemic type of CRVO was prevalent in about 36% of the patients (41% in men vs. 29% in women, P=0.53). CONCLUSION: This study provides useful evidence about the distribution of clinical characteristics of Albanian patients diagnosed with RVO. Keywords: Albania, branch retinal vein occlusion, central retinal vein occlusion, ophthalmology, retinal vein occlusion. Normal 0 21 false false false RO X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:Table Normal; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri,sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Times New Roman; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}