Vitamin D deficiency in patients with retinal vein occlusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background This review aims to substantiate the correlation between vitamin D and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) within the medical literature. Method A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and Embase until December 10th, 2023. A meticulous literature search was undertaken to identify and analyze all observational-analytical papers reporting vitamin D levels in RVO patients. The principal outcome measures centered on the comparative assessment of vitamin D levels between patients with RVO (cases) and those devoid of RVO (controls). The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42024499853). Results A total of six relevant studies consisting of 589 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of RVO (Odds ratio = 14.51; 95 CI: 1.71, 122.59, P = 0.014); and patients with RVO exhibited a significant decrease in serum vitamin D levels by 1.91ng/mL (95% CI: -2.29, -1.54, P < 0.001). Moreover, there was no significant difference observed in vitamin D levels between central RVO (CRVO) and branch RVO (BRVO) subtypes (P = 0.63). Conclusion RVO patients have more vitamin D deficiency than healthy controls. These results contribute to the growing body of evidence highlighting the intricate role of vitamin D supplementation as both a prophylactic and a treatment strategy in RVO. PROSPERO registration identifier: CRD42024499853.