Normal Retinal Vasculature Despite Familial Protein C Deficiency

• Published in: American journal of ophthalmology Vol. 139; no. 5; pp. 944 - 945
• Main Authors: Vossen, Carla Y., Naud, Shelly, Bovill, Edwin G., Weissgold, David J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.05.2005; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ophthalmoscopy; Pedigree; Platelet diseases and coagulopathies; Protein C Deficiency - genetics; Retinal Vein Occlusion - etiology; Retinal Vessels - anatomy & histology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Venous Thrombosis - etiology; Protein C deficiency; Retina; Hemopathy; Ophthalmology; Normal; Retinal; Coagulopathy; Genetic disease
• ISSN: 0002-9394; 1879-1891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2004.11.036

It is unclear whether protein C deficiency is associated with retinal venous occlusive disease. We performed a cross-sectional study. Members of a protein C-deficient family, either deficient or nondeficient, with a history of nonocular venous thrombosis were included. All participants completed questionnaires regarding their medical and ophthalmic histories. Each subject underwent dilated direct ophthalmoscopic and binocular indirect ophthalmoscopic examinations by a single vitreoretinal specialist. None of the 18 family members with a known history of nonocular thrombosis—12 with and 6 without protein C deficiency— manifested stigmas of recent or chronic retinal vascular occlusive disease. This study showed no evidence of involvement of the retinal vascular bed in a family with an increased risk of nonocular venous thrombosis attributable to the deficiency of protein C.