摘要
Introduction:COVID-19 patients are susceptible to hypercoagulability,thromboembolic,and vasculitis state;central retinal artery occlusion(CRAO)could be caused by hyperviscosity syndrome,thromboembolic accidents,and vasculitis.Evolving case reports are correlating CRAO with COVID-19 patients.Our case series aims to reveal the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among CRAO patients under the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Medical records of all CRAO patients who attended our tertiary referral hospital,during COVID-19 local outbreak(March to November 2020),were reviewed.Respiratory tract samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by the validated Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay.If patients were able to cooperate,oropharyngeal saliva samples were obtained.Otherwise,nasopharyngeal and deep throat swabs were taken by registered nurses.Results:A total of 15 CRAO patients(7 males,8 females)were identified during the 9-month study period.The mean age was 72.1-years(range 45-88 year).None of the patients were infected by SARS-CoV-2 before their CRAO disease episodes.Three patients had a history of CRAO over the contralateral eye.No patient was diagnosed with COVID-19 up to their last follow-up(mean 255.4 days,range 152-341 days).Without any COVID-19 positive case,correlation statistical tests on SARS-CoV-2 infection and CRAO were not established.Conclusions:Some of the presumed COVID-19 related CRAO cases may be just coincident with at-risk patients,as COVID-19 is prevalent across the world.More in-depth research,with adjustment to known confounding risk factors,is needed to establish a genuine correlation.
