The incidence of retinal vein occlusion in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma
Reviewed by Sofia Rokerya

In this retrospective study the authors aimed to evaluate PXF as an independent risk factor for the occurrence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Three hundred PXF glaucoma patients (PXF group), 300 non-PXF glaucoma patients, and 599 non glaucoma non-PXF (nGnP group) patients. Twenty-two out of 300 patients (7.3%) in the PXF glaucoma group, 26 out of 300 patients (8.7%) in the non-PXF glaucoma group, and 15 out of 599 patients (2.5%) in the nGnP group (p<0.001) had RVO events. Multivariate analysis resulted in a significant probability for RVO in the PXF (p=0.005; OR 2.29 [1.13–4.68]) and non-PXF glaucoma groups (p=0.005; OR 3.03 [1.55–5.94]) compared to the nGnP group. There was a much higher probability for central RVO (CRVO) in the PXF (p=0.013; OR 3.64 [1.39–9.49]) and non-PXF glaucoma groups (p=0.013; OR 3.78 [1.48–9.65]) compared to the nGnP group. Due to a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age (mean age 65 years in the nGnP group vs. 79 and 76 years in the two other study groups, respectively) and prevalence of vascular diseases (55.3% in the nGnP group vs. 75 and 71% in the two study groups, respectively), the analysis was adjusted by age, gender, demographic characteristics and comorbidities. The age, gender, and demographic adjustments led to similar results to those concerning the original groups with a significant difference between groups in terms of RVO (p=0.004) and CRVO (p=0.008); RVO being more prevalent in the PXF glaucoma group and in the non-PXF glaucoma group than in the nGnP group (p=0.016 and 0.001, respectively) and CRVO also being more prevalent in each of the glaucoma groups than in the nGnP group (p=0.004 in both cases). Branch RVO (BRVO) and all types of RAO had a similar occurrence in the three study groups. These results remained similar after further adjustments were made for comorbidities (RVO: p=0.005, CRVO: p=0.013). BRVO and all types of (retinal artery occlusion )RAO had a similar occurrence in the three study groups. The conclusion of the study was that PXF and other types of glaucoma are associated with RVOs, mainly CRVO. PXF was not found to be an independent risk factor for CRVO in this study. Strength: large sample size. Limitations retrospective.

The incidence of retinal vein occlusion in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.
Antman G, Keren S, Kurtz S, et al.
OPHTHALMOLOGICA
2019;241:130-6.