A study of serum homocysteine and serum vitamin B12 levels in patients with retinal vein occlusion and its correlation

Purpose: To find out the association of serum homocysteine levels and serum vitamin B-12 levels inpatients with retinal vein occlusion.Materials and Methods: Patients of all age group and any sex who are coming in vitreoretinal OPD ofdepartment of ophthalmology at a tertiary care hospital of Western Maharashtra were studied. 50 cases ofRVO and same number of age and sex matched controls were taken into consideration. All patients wereunderwent for assay of serum homocysteine by ECLIA method and serum Vitamin B12 by CMIA method.Results: The highest number of cases were of BRVO (60%) followed by CRVO (30%) and only one caseof TVO (2%) was noted. The average level of homocysteine in RVO and control group is found to be 23.80and 12.43 whereas the standard deviation of homocysteine level in RVO group is 13.28 and control group is10.58. Therefore levels of homocysteine are significantly higher in RVO group in comparison with controlgroup. Vitamin B-12 level was 455.86 in control group and 325.8 in RVO group. The P value suggeststhat, Vitamin B12 was significantly lower in case group compared to controls. Vitamin B-12 levels weresignificantly lower in cases with a higher Homocysteine level.Conclusion: Hype-rhomocysteinemia and hypovitaminosis B12 is significantly present in cases of retinalvein occlusion irrespective of types and underlying systemic diseases.Keywords: Nitamin B 12, Retinal vein occlusion, Serum homocysteine.