Choroidal involvement in systemic necrotizing vasculitis.
Wegener's granulomatosis and lymphomatosis are systemic necrotizing vasculitides of unknown cause. We report similar involvement of the choriocapillaris in these two diseases. A presumed choriocapillaritis caused ischemia and infarction of the choriocapillaris-retinal pigment epithelium-outer neurosensory retina complex. Systemic corticosteroid and immunosuppressive agents were successful in controlling systemic disease and preserving useful vision. At the time of this study, one patient had not had a recurrence for 12 years, and the other patient had been asymptomatic for seven years.
D000328:Adult; D002196:Capillaries; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008230:Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000209:etiology*