[Are there differences between internal carotid artery and aortic arch plaques among patients with retinal artery occlusion and anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy?].

INTRODUCTION: Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) and non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) cause painless vision deterioration and visual field defects. Associations with arteriosclerotic risk factors, hyperhomocysteinaemia, hyperfibrinogenaemia and plaques of the internal carotid artery are well kown. Results of transoesophageal echocardiography with respect to plaques in the aortic arch and duplex sonography of the internal carotid artery were evaluated and a statistical analysis was performed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 110 patients with RAO and 49 patients with NAION were retrospectively analysed. Statistical significant differences were analysed with the Mann-Whitney test (U test) using SPSS 13.0 (IBM).

RESULTS: RAO patients have statistically significantly more often plaques in the aortic arch, medium-sized plaques of the internal carotid artery, a history of stroke and hyperhomocysteinaemia. NAION patients have statistically significantly more often small plaques of the internal carotid artery. All other parameters do not show statistically significant differences between both diseases.

CONCLUSIONS: RAO patients have a higher median age and seem to have more often arteriosclerotic plaques in the aortic arch and larger plaques in the internal carotid artery than NAION patients, although both diseases show comparable associations with arteriosclerotic risk factors.