title: Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Korean patients with large submacular hemorrhage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine and compare the clinical characteristics, visual prognosis and treatment of hemorrhagic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (HPCV) with those of hemorrhagic choroidal neovascularization (HCNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 44 consecutive eyes with a submacular hemorrhage comprising more than 50% of the neovascular lesion. Patients were diagnosed as having HPCV or HCNV on the basis of indocyanine green angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 44 eyes with submacular hemorrhage, 26 were classified as HPCV and 18 as HCNV. The baseline patient characteristics were similar for both groups. At the final follow-up the HPCV group had 17 eyes showing visual improvement, four showing maintained vision, and five showing visual deterioration. In contrast, the HCNV group had four eyes showing visual improvement, one showing maintained vision, and 13 showing visual deterioration. Visual acuity of < 0.1 at follow-up was found in 7 (27%) of HPCV eyes and 10 (56%) of HCNV eyes. PDT was performed in 15 HPCV eyes, of which 13 (87%) showed improvement or no change in visual acuity, while only 2 (22%) of the 9 HCNV eyes responded similarly after PDT. Eyes treated with PDT did not have better outcomes compared to eyes that underwent other types of treatment (Fisher's exact test, p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCV accounts for the largest proportion of submacular hemorrhage in Koreans. PCV showed a better visual prognosis than CNV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Sinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Sook
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jonghyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Chul
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyoung Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Sung Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Oh Woong
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator