The 10-year incidence and risk factors of retinal vein occlusion: the Beijing eye study.

Objective: To assess the 10-year incidence of retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) and associated factors in adult Chinese subjects.

Design: Population-based, longitudinal study.

Participants: The Beijing Eye Study, which included 4439 subjects (age: 40+ years) in 2001, was repeated in 2011 with 2695 subjects participating (66.4% of the survivors).

Methods: The study participants underwent a detailed ophthalmic examination. Fundus photographs were examined for the new development of RVOs, differentiated into branch RVOs (BRVOs) and central RVOs (CRVOs).

Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of RVOs.

Results: Incident RVOs were detected in 51 eyes (49 subjects) with an incidence of 1.9 ± 0.1 per 100 persons and 1.0 ± 0.1 per 100 eyes. Incidence of BRVO was 1.6 ± 0.1 per 100 subjects (43 subjects [88% of patients with RVO]; 44 eyes), and incidence of CRVO was 0.3 ± 0.1 per 100 persons. Of 61 patients with an RVO in 2001 and 25 subjects reexamined in 2011, at least 4 subjects (7%) developed a second RVO. Incident BRVOs were located more often in the superior temporal quadrant and inferior temporal quadrant (32% and 34%, respectively) than in the superior nasal quadrant and inferior nasal quadrant (21% and 14%, respectively). In 35 eyes (80% of the BRVO eyes), the BRVO was located at an arteriovenous crossing. At the crossing sites, arterioles were found superficial to venules in 28 eyes (64% of the BRVO eyes). Macular edema was detected in 18 (37%) of all RVO eyes, including 13 (30%) of BRVO eyes. In multivariate logistic analysis, incident RVOs were associated with higher systolic blood pressure (P = 0.01; odds ratio [OR], 1.04), hypertension (P = 0.03; OR, 4.62), lower cognitive function score (P = 0.007; OR, 0.88), blood concentration of cholesterol ≥ 5.72 mmol/L (P = 0.007; OR, 3.29), and status after cerebral infarction/hemorrhage (P = 0.02; OR, 1.19). Incident RVOs were not significantly related to the intake of aspirin (P=0.37).

Conclusions: The 10-year incidence of RVOs in Greater Beijing (1.9 ± 0.1 per 100 persons) was similar to that in other studies on Caucasian populations. The 10-year incidence of RVOs was related to the known risk factors of arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and status after cerebral infarction/hemorrhage, as well as with a lower cognitive function score. Incident BRVO was approximately 6 times more frequent than incident CRVO. Macular edema was detected in approximately 30% of BRVO eyes.