Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Patients Research Articles

Ocular Vascular Thrombotic Events: Central Retinal Vein and Central Retinal Artery Occlusions

We prospectively assessed associations of thrombophilia- hypofibrinolysis with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) (40 patients) and central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) (9 patients). We used polymerase chain reaction measures for thrombophilia (factor V Leiden, prothrombin, C677T MTHFR, platelet glycoprotein PlA1/A2) and hypofibrinolysis (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 4G4G). Serologic thrombophilia measures included protein C, protein S (total and free) and antithrombin III, homocysteine, lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies IgG-IgM, and factors VIII and XI. Serologic hypofibrinolysis measures included Lp(a) and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity. For comparison with 40 CRVO and 9 CRAO patients, 80 and 45 race-gender matched controls were studied. The factor V mutation was more common in CRVO (3/40, 8%) than controls (0/79, 0%), P = .036, as was high (>150%) factor VIII (12/40, 30%) versus (4/77, 5%), P = .0002. Low antithrombin III (<80%) was more common in CRVO (5/39, 13%) than in controls (2/73, 3%), P = .049. Homocysteine was high (> or =13.5 micromol/L) in 5/39 (13%) CRVO patients versus 2/78 controls (3%), P = .04. Three of 9 CRAO patients (33%) had low (<73%) protein C versus 2/37 controls (5%), P = .044. Two of 9 CRAO patients (22%) had high (> or =13.5 micromol/L) homocysteine versus 0/42 controls (0%), P =. 028. Four of 9 CRAO patients had the lupus anticoagulant (44%) versus 4/33 (12%) controls (P = .050). CRVO is associated with familial thrombophilia (factor V Leiden, factor VIII, low antithrombin III, homocysteinemia), and CRAO is associated with familial and acquired thrombophilia (low protein C, homocysteinemia, lupus anticoagulant), providing avenues for thromboprophylaxis, and triggering family screening.

The association of central retinal artery occlusion and extracranial carotid artery disease.

To determine the incidence of associated carotid artery disease and the effect of carotid endarterectomy on subsequent neurologic sequelae, a retrospective study of 66 patients with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) was undertaken. Ipsilateral extracranial carotid artery disease was present in 23 of 33 patients (70%) who had carotid arteriography. Sixteen patients had carotid endarterectomy following their CRAO (Group I) and 50 did not (Group II). Seven of the 40 patients available for follow-up in Group II had a subsequent stroke (mean follow-up: 54 months). Of the seven Group II patients shown to have associated carotid disease (Group IIs), three (43%) had a subsequent stroke during follow-up (mean: 28.3 months) compared to zero in Group I (p = 0.033; mean follow-up: 18.7 months). Because of the strong association between CRAO and ipsilateral carotid artery disease and because of the significantly higher incidence of subsequent ipsilateral stroke in CRAO patients with carotid disease who did not undergo endarterectomy, thorough evaluation of the carotid arteries followed by carotid endarterectomy, if indicated, is warranted in CRAO patients who have no other obvious etiology for the occlusion.