Acute, Treatment-Naïve Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion in Younger Individuals: Risk Factors and Clinical Outcomes

Purpose: To compare the risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients younger than 50 years with acute, treatment-naïve branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with outcomes in patients 50 years or older. Methods: Patients diagnosed with acute, treatment-naïve BRVO at Duke Eye Center over a 9.5-year period who had BRVO with onset 3 months or less before presentation, BRVO with macular involvement, and 12 months or more of follow-up were included. Demographic data, presenting clinical features, risk factors, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes were extracted during a retrospective review of medical records. Results: Of 302 patients identified, 23 were younger than 50 years (younger group) and 279 were 50 years or older (older group). Compared with older patients, younger patients had similar rates of hypertension ( P = .275), diabetes mellitus ( P = 1.000), smokers ( P = .787), and open-angle glaucoma ( P = .628). The younger group had a lower rate of hyperlipidemia than the older group (35% vs 59%) ( P = .028). The 2 groups had similar presenting logMAR visual acuities (VAs) in the BRVO eye ( P = .131). At the final follow-up younger patients had significantly better logMAR VA in the BRVO-affected eye than older patients (mean 0.51 ± 0.65 vs 1.01 ± 1.20) ( P = .016). The 2 groups had similar treatment burdens at 1 year ( P = .516) and the final follow-up ( P = .782). Conclusions: Younger patients with acute, treatment-naïve BRVO have similar risk factors and treatment patterns as older patients, except for a lower rate of hyperlipidemia. Younger patients with BRVO may have similar presenting VA as older BRVO patients but better final VA, suggesting that age may be a potential prognostic factor.