The following is a summary of “Long-term outcomes of intravenous fibrinolysis in central retinal artery occlusion,” published in the November 2023 issue of Ophthalmology by Kozner et al.

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a severe eye condition that can cause irreversible vision loss. To explore treatment options, particularly intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), a retrospective study analyzed 46 patients diagnosed with CRAO. Among them, 16 individuals received IVT (IVT group), while the remaining 30 did not (no-IVT group).

Upon investigation, it was found that within the IVT group, 7 patients received the treatment early, within 4.5 hours from the onset of symptoms (early-IVT), while 9 patients underwent IVT beyond this time frame (late-IVT). The median time for patients to arrive at the hospital was 8.5 hours, with a notable discrepancy between the IVT and no-IVT groups, where the former reached the hospital within 3 hours and the latter within 24 hours. The median time from onset to treatment administration was 5 hours.

Visual acuity outcomes were evaluated among the groups, with median values of 0.05 for the early-IVT group, 0.025 for the late-IVT group, and 0.01 for the no-IVT group. The study revealed that among those who received early IVT, a remarkable 86% showed significant improvement in visual acuity. This improvement was notably substantial, nearly four times higher than the late-IVT and no-IVT groups.

Notably, no adverse effects or complications related to IVT treatment were reported. These findings provide compelling evidence supporting the safety and effectiveness of IVT treatment within the critical 4.5-hour window following the onset of symptoms in managing CRAO. The observed visual improvements in those receiving IVT within this timeframe underscore the potential significance of prompt intervention in mitigating the severity of CRAO and its impact on vision.

Source: nature.com/articles/s41598-023-47987-9