title: Laser photocoagulation for proliferative retinopathy in sickle haemoglobin C disease.
abstract: The effect of sectoral, scatter laser photocoagulation on proliferative sickle retinopathy (PSR) was investigated by reviewing fluorescein angiograms of 88 sickle cell-haemoglobin C patients enrolled in a controlled, randomised trial. Follow-up was for a median period of 2.9 years. Complete infarction of all PSR in an eye occurred in 7 of 74 treated eyes and 2 of 60 control eyes. Treatment resulted in significantly greater regression (decrease in number or size of PSR lesions) in eyes of patients aged < 25 years at enrollment but not in eyes of patients > or = 25 years at enrollment. Infarction of individual PSR lesions was significantly more common in treated eyes. Treated PSR was significantly more likely to infarct if small (< 15 degrees circumferential involvement) and if flat rather than elevated. New PSR was significantly less likely to develop in treated eyes.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratories, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minninger
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Forshaw
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Vessey
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Serjeant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006445:Hemoglobin C Disease / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D012160:Retina / Q000601:surgery*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*