FIBRINOGEN, CHOLESTEROL AND SMOKING AS RISK-FACTORS FOR NONARTERITIC ANTERIOR ISCHEMIC OPTIC NEUROPATHY

Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION) is thought to be due to occlusion of the posterior ciliary circulation. Raised lipi d and fibrinogen concentrations are recognised risk factors for vessel occlusion in cardiovascular disease although suspected as risk factor s AION, they have not been studied in this condition. We therefore per formed a case-control study on 41 patients with non-arteritic AION, lo oking at these and other atherosclerotic risk factors. The odds ratio of cholesterol being >6.5 mmol/l in non-arteritic AION was 2.7 (95% co nfidence interval 1.09 to 6.65; p<0.05) and of fibrinogen being >3.6 g /l was 5 (2.66 to 9.39; p<0.05). Smoking was also found to be signific antly associated with non-arteritic AION, the odds ratio being 16 (3.2 3 to 79.23; p<0.001). These were the only risk factors found to be sig nificantly associated with non-arteritic AION, This raises the possibi lity that appropriate medical management of these factors could be giv en to prevent recurrence in the fellow eye.