Analysis of systemic risk factors in young patients with retinal vein occlusion

Purpose: to analyze systemic risk factors of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in young patients. Material and methods. 23 patients with RVO aged 24–44 were enrolled in a prospective case series study. All patients underwent standard ophthalmological examination, blood pressure measurement, body mass index calculation, fasting glucose and total cholesterol test. Results. Most patients (73.91%) were diagnosed with central RVO, others (26.09%) had branch RVO. Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors were identified in 73.91% of patients. The most prevalent risk factors were overweight/obesity (60.27%) and hyperlipidemia (47.37%). Arterial hypertension, smoking and a combination of hyperlipidemia and overweight/obesity were identified in 34.78% of patients. High fasting glucose level was detected in 9.5% of patients. In four cases out of six without traditional risk factors, RVO was associated with COVID-19. One patient suffered from hereditary thrombophilia (Leiden’s mutation). Conclusion. RVO in young patients is associated with modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in 73.91% of cases. The impact of these risk factors and their combinations leads to vessels wall damage, local circulatory disturbance and hyperviscosity syndrome comprising a Virchow’s triad that underlies the pathogenesis of RVO.