A RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-MASKED STUDY ON THE TREATMENT OF RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION WITH TROXERUTIN

Hemorheologic factors probably play a role in the pathogenesis and pro gnosis of retinal vein occlusion. Accordingly, we designed a prospecti ve, randomized, double-masked study to evaluate the effect of troxerut in, a theologic drug, on retinal vein occlusion. Fifty-three patients were included, 27 with central retinal vein occlusion and 26 with bran ch retinal vein occlusion. They were randomly assigned for treatment w ith either troxerutin or a placebo. All subjects were similar in age, gender, associated diseases, hemorheologic values, and clinical severi ty of the retinal vein occlusion. At the end of follow-up, members of the troxerutin-treated group, as compared with the placebo group, show ed significant improvement in visual acuity (P = .03), macular thresho ld (P = .01), retinal circulation times (P = .04), and macular edema ( P = .05). Furthermore, they had diminished progression of ischemia (P = .05) and decreased red blood cell aggregability (P = .006) when comp ared with the controls. These encouraging preliminary results obtained with a theologic treatment attest to the pathogenic role of blood vis cosity in retinal vein occlusion and suggest that a large-scale random ized study should be conducted.