[Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: clinical and angiographic features].
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the clinical and angiographic characteristics of idiopathic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (IPCV) and its natural course.


METHODS
Descriptive, prospective, consecutive case series of patients with presumed IPCV seen at Fort-de-France Hospital Center (French West Indies) between January and June 2006. All participants underwent complete eye examination and fluorescein and indocyanine green (ICG) angiography. The nature and location of the lesions were assessed in all eyes. Inclusion criteria were demonstration of characteristic lesions of IPCV on ICG angiography.


RESULTS
Diagnosis of IPCV was made in 26 eyes of 14 patients, ten women and four men, all of Afro-Caribbean origin. The mean age was 77.4 years (range 60-92 years). Drusen were present in 13 eyes (50%), age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in one eye, and branch retinal vein occlusion in one eye. Twelve patients (85.7%) had bilateral involvement. Twelve eyes (46.2%) had visual acuity (VA) (Snellen) worse than 20/200, six eyes (23.1%) had VA between 20/200 and 20/100, and eight eyes (30.8%) had VA better than 20/100. On ICG angiography, lesions were predominantly located in the peripapillary area but also in the midperiphery, the macular and interpapillomacular areas, and the far periphery.


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral locations of IPCV and associations with drusen or AMD are not rare. The prognosis of the disease is poor in its natural course. Its etiology is unknown but genetic factors are probably involved. It is the main differential diagnosis for exudative AMD in black patients.
Guyomarch
J
J
Service d'Ophtalmologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fort de France, Hôpital Pierre Zobda Quitman, Fort-de-France, Martinique, France, French West Indies.
Jean-Charles
A
A
Acis
D
D
Donnio
A
A
Richer
R
R
Merle
H
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018450:Disease Progression; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D019793:Fluorescein; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008395:Martinique / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D015593:Retinal Drusen / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014792:Visual Acuity
D007208:Indocyanine Green; D019793:Fluorescein