Central retinal vein occlusion in patients treated with long-term warfarin sodium (Coumadin) for anticoagulation. Retina 2006 Mar;26(3):285-91
Date
03/02/2006Pubmed ID
16508428DOI
10.1097/00006982-200603000-00006Scopus ID
2-s2.0-33646461756 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 25 CitationsAbstract
PURPOSE: To describe the clinical features of persons who developed central retinal vein occlusion (CVO) while being treated with Coumadin for chronic anticoagulation.
METHODS: In a retrospective, comparative, noninterventional case series of patients diagnosed with CVO while being treated with Coumadin as a systemic anticoagulant, visual and anatomical outcomes were compared with those for a cohort of patients diagnosed with CVO who were not treated with any systemic anticoagulation.
RESULTS: Fourteen eyes of 14 patients treated with Coumadin were identified. At presentation, the median international normalization ratio (INR) was 2.20 (range, 1.3-5.0). Eight patients (57%) had a therapeutic INR at the time of CVO. Their visual acuity and perfusion status were similar to those of patients with subtherapeutic INR. At the last follow-up (median, 16 months), visual acuity and perfusion status of the group of 14 eyes were similar to baseline findings (P = 0.62). Clinical features and outcomes were similar to those for a cohort of patients with CVO who were not being treated with systemic anticoagulation.
CONCLUSION: CVO can occur in patients being treated with Coumadin for systemic anticoagulation. Final visual acuity and perfusion status were similar to those in a cohort of patients with CVO who were not treated with Coumadin. Although visual acuity is unaffected, ensuring that the INR for these patients remains in the therapeutic range may be important to help prevent secondary systemic thrombotic and embolic disease.
Author List
Mruthyunjaya P, Wirostko WJ, Chandrashekhar R, Stinnett S, Lai JC, Deramo V, Tang J, Dev S, Postel EA, Connor TB, Fekrat SAuthors
Thomas B. Connor MD Professor in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences department at Medical College of WisconsinWilliam Wirostko MD Professor in the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgedAged, 80 and over
Anticoagulants
Blood Coagulation
Eye
Female
Humans
International Normalized Ratio
Male
Middle Aged
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Retinal Vessels
Retrospective Studies
Thrombosis
Visual Acuity
Warfarin