Comparison of macular pigment in three types of macular telangiectasia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare macular pigment in three types of macular telangiectasia (MacTel).


METHODS
Twenty-six eyes of 16 patients (mean age, 62 years) with MacTel were examined. The macular pigment optical density (MPOD) was obtained by autofluorescence spectrometry using two wavelengths (488 nm, 514 nm). The density of the central macular pigment within 0.5 degree around the foveal center (MPODc) was measured from a MPOD map.


RESULTS
Eight eyes of seven patients were classified as type 1, 16 eyes of eight patients as type 2, and two eyes of one patient as type 3. The macular pigment signal was seen in the area of fluorescein leakage in type 1 and the occlusive area in type 3; the macular pigment signal decreased in the area of fluorescein leakage in type 2. The mean MPODc (± standard deviation) was 0.40 ± 0.16 density unit (DU) (range, 0.17-0.57) in type 1; -0.08 ± 0.15 DU (range, -0.29-0.25) in type 2; and 0.32 ± 0.08 DU (range, 0.26-0.37) in type 3. Significant differences were seen between types 1 and 2 (P < 0.001) and types 2 and 3 (P = 0.007). There was no significant difference between types 1 and 3 (P = 0.765). In 30 age-matched normal eyes, the MPODc was 0.58 ± 0.11 DU (range, 0.38-0.79). There were significant differences between normal eyes and each MacTel subtype (type 1, P = 0.007; type 2, P < 0.001; type 3, P = 0.043).


CONCLUSIONS
The macular pigment values and distributions, including leakage or occlusion, differed in each MacTel type compared with fluorescein angiography findings. The capillary occlusion in type 3 is not associated with reduced MPOD.
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, E-7, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. sawamiki@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Miki
M
Sawa
Fumi
F
Gomi
Chikako
C
Ueno
Mihoko
M
Suzuki
Kohji
K
Nishida
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000378:metabolism*; D058456:Retinal Telangiectasis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D065146:Zeaxanthins
D012168:Retinal Pigments; D024341:Xanthophylls; D065146:Zeaxanthins; D014975:Lutein