Korean J Ophthalmol.  2015 Apr;29(2):86-91. 10.3341/kjo.2015.29.2.86.

Hyperhomocysteinemia, a Biochemical Tool for Differentiating Ischemic and Nonischemic Central Retinal Vein Occlusion during the Early Acute Phase

• Lahiri KD
• Mukherjee
• Ghosh S
• Mukherjee
• Dutta J
• Datta H
• Das HN

• KMID: 2363713
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2015.29.2.86

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to differentiate ischemic central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) from nonischemic CRVO during the early acute phase using plasma homocysteine as a biochemical marker.
METHODS
Fasting plasma homocysteine, serum vitamin B12, and folate levels were measured in 108 consecutive unilateral elderly adult (age >50 years) ischemic CRVO patients in the absence of local and systemic disease and compared with a total of 144 age and sex matched nonischemic CRVO patients and 120 age and sex matched healthy control subjects.
RESULTS
Homocysteine level was significantly increased in the patients with ischemic CRVO in comparison with nonischemic CRVO patients (p = 0.009) and also in comparison with control subjects (p < 0.001). Analysis also showed that hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with increased incidence of ischemic CRVO (odds ratio, 18) than that for nonischemic CRVO (odds ratio, 4.5). Serum vitamin B12 and folate levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in CRVO patients compared to the control but were not significantly different between nonischemic and ischemic CRVO patients (p > 0.1).
CONCLUSIONS
Hyperhomocysteinemia can be regarded as useful in differentiating nonischemic and ischemic CRVO during the early acute phase in absence of local and systemic disease in the elderly adult (age >50 years) population.

Keyword

Central retinal vein occlusion; Homocysteine; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Ischemic central retinal vein occlusion; Nonischemic central retinal vein occlusion

MeSH Terms

Acute Disease
Aged
Biomarkers/*blood
Case-Control Studies
Diagnosis, Differential
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperhomocysteinemia/blood/*complications/diagnosis
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Retinal Vein Occlusion/complications/*diagnosis
Time Factors
Biomarkers

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