Retinal Vein Occlusion in a Multi-Ethnic Asian Population: The Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Disease Study

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe the prevalence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and its risk factors in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

Methods: This population-based study of 10,033 participants (75.7% response rate) included Chinese, Indian and Malay persons aged 40 years and older. A comprehensive ophthalmic examination, standardized interviews and laboratory blood tests were performed. Digital fundus photographs were assessed for presence of RVO following the definitions used in the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Regression analysis models were constructed to study the relationship between ocular and systemic factors and RVO. Age-specific prevalence rates of RVO were applied to project the number of people affected in Asia from 2013 to 2040.

Results: The overall crude prevalence of RVO was 0.72% (n = 71; 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.54–0.87%). The crude prevalence of RVO was similar in Chinese, Indian and Malay participants (p = 0.865). In multivariable regression models, significant risk factors of RVO included increased age (odds ratio, OR, 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06), hypertension (OR 3.65, 95% CI 1.61–8.31), increased serum creatinine (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.06, per 10 mmol/L increase), history of heart attack (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.11–4.54) and increased total cholesterol (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.07–1.59, per 1 mmol/L increase). None of the ocular parameters were associated with RVO. RVO is estimated to affect up to 16 and 21 million people in Asia by 2020 and 2040, respectively.

Conclusion: RVO was detected in 0.72% of a multi-ethnic Asian population aged 40–80 years in Singapore. The significant systemic risk factors of RVO are consistent with studies in white populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Branch retinal vein occlusion
• central retinal vein occlusion
• hypertension
• multi-ethnic
• retinal vein occlusion

Acknowledgments

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This study was supported by the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC), 08/1/35/19/550, Singapore.