title: [Late vision loss after focal hemorrhagic chorioretinopathy].
abstract: Prospective clinical studies about photocoagulation of extrafoveolar choroidal neovascularizations in focal hemorrhagic chorioretinopathy (CR) have demonstrated that the risk of visual loss years after successful treatment is related to the development of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy around the laser scar. The reason for this event was thought to be late damage of RPE cells due to the laser treatment. However, because RPE atrophy can also be seen in untreated patients, a prospective study was started to test this pathogenetic hypothesis and to analyze the pathogenetic factors and prognostic importance of RPE atrophy in focal hemorrhagic CR. Eighty-eight patients (52 women, 36 men, 15-45 years old; mean follow-up 62 months; 26 patients treated by photocoagulation) with focal hemorrhagic CR were reexamined. Fifty-two patients (15 treated by photocoagulation and 37 untreated) showed clinically visible RPE atrophy. In these 52 patients the initial and final visual acuity, the amount of initial subretinal fluid (34.6% < 500 microns, 50% 500-750 microns, 15.4% > 750 microns) and the amount RPE atrophy (23.2% < 500 microns, 53.6% 500-750 microns, 23.2% > 750 microns) were analyzed. The development of RPE atrophy was dependent on the time of follow-up (36 patients without RPE atrophy, mean follow-up 29 months; 52 patients with RPE atrophy, mean 84 months, P < 0.001). Of the 52 patients with RPE atrophy, 15 were treated by photocoagulation. The distribution of RPE atrophy was similar to what was found in the 37 untreated patients (P = 0.4). With pronounced RPE atrophy, a decrease in final visual acuity was seen (RPE atrophy < 500 microns, mean visual acuity 0.5; 500-750 microns mean visual acuity 0.3; > 750 microns, mean visual acuity 0.1; P = 0.005). Increased RPE atrophy was also associated with a higher incidence of visual loss (p = 0.009). The amount of RPE atrophy was not dependent on the time of follow-up (P = 0.3), but only correlated with the initial amount of subretinal fluid (atrophy < 500 microns: subretinal fluid < 500 microns 15.4%, 500-750 microns 7.7%, > 750 microns 0%; atrophy 500-750 microns: subretinal fluid < 500 microns 19.2%, 500-750 microns 32.7%, < 750 microns 1.9%; atrophy > 750 microns: subretinal fluid < 500 microns 0%, 500-750 microns 9.6%, > 750 microns 13.5%; P < 0.0001). Because RPE atrophy in focal hemorrhagic CR was seen in patients both with and without photocoagulation therapy, laser treatment cannot be the causative factor. With increased follow-up the risk of the development of RPE atrophy increases in all patients. The resulting amount of RPE atrophy was only dependent on the initial amount of subretinal fluid. If the fovea is included in the exudative detachment, there is a higher risk of long-term visual loss.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Augenklinik Essen.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pauleikhoff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knebel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peuser
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wessing
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D002825:Chorioretinitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000601:surgery*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
vernacular_title: Später Visusverlust nach fokaler hämorrhagischer Chorioretinopathie.