title: [Canthaxanthin retinopathy. Follow-up of over 6 years].
abstract: After long-term treatment with high dosages, canthaxanthin causes a characteristic retinopathy with circular, macula surrounding crystals. As changes in retinal functionning disappear relatively easily after withdrawal of the drug, the crystals dissolve rather slowly--over about several years. Five patients showing a profound crystalline retinopathy were re-examined with an average of 69.7 months after withdrawal of the canthaxanthin-containing drug. Three of the patients were treated for erythropoetic protoporphyria (EPP) with Phenoro (2/5 beta-carotene, 3/5 canthaxanthin), two sisters took a canthaxanthin-containing formulation (1/8 beta-carotene, 7/8 canthaxanthin) for cosmetic reasons. Two female patients complained about an increased glare sensitivity, which was explainable for one of them with a subcapsular cataract. The retinal crystals decreased quite differently. Minor deffects of the retinal pigment epithelium remained unchanged in two patients. They increased slightly in the female patient with the smallest crystal formation but highest plasma cholesterol. Shortly after withdrawal of the drugs usually an increase of a-wave amplituded of the electroretinograms was found. The a-waves returned to normal and the b-wave amplitudes showed an increase up to the final control paralleling the reduction of the retinal crystals. A- and b-wave peak latencies which were prolonged under treatment returned to normal.
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik, Akadem. Lehrkrankenhauses Braunschweig.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goerz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baseler
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michaelis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016644:Canthaxanthin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003460:Crystallization; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D017092:Porphyria, Erythropoietic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D016644:Canthaxanthin; D002784:Cholesterol
vernacular_title: Canthaxanthin-Retinopathie. Verlaufskontrolle nach über 6 Jahren.