Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is an important cause of visual loss. Many risk factors have been associated with CRVO onset at various ages. Among them diabetes mellitus, hypertension, immunologic disorders, increase in blood viscosity and coagulation, decrease of fibrinolysis have been reported in many subjects. The aim of our study was to detect the metabolic, coagulative and fibrinolytic pattern in 54 patients (26 men, 28 women, mean age 50.4 +/- 12.3) affected by CRVO. We excluded from the study patients with other ocular disorders. A fibrinolytic impairment is the most common feature in our population. It occurs either in dysmetabolic or in nonmetabolic subjects. Such data suggest a prominent role of the fibrinolytic system in the pathogenesis of CRVO.
Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel