title: Helicobacter pylori as a potential target for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the treatment of Helicobacter pylori gastric infection and changes in best-corrected visual acuity and macular detachment in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients diagnosed with central serous chorioretinopathy were examined for gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori using the urease test and gastric biopsy. Helicobacter pylory-positive patients were treated with the appropriate medication. The response to therapy was monitored by evaluating the best-corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography. The data were analyzed using Student's t-test before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen patients (15 eyes) aged 30-56 years (mean 43.4 ± 8.3 years) were positive for Helicobacter pylori. Most of the positive patients had gastric symptoms (78.5%); one had bilateral central serous chorioretinopathy. The mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity was 20/98 (logMAR = 0.53 ± 0.28). Three months after starting treatment with antibiotics, the serous detachment had resolved in 14 of 15 eyes, but two cases required laser treatment. The follow-up period ranged from 6 to 27 months. The mean final best-corrected visual acuity differed significantly from baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection may be present in many chronic central serous chorioretinopathy patients and that treatment for the infection may have a favorable effect on the outcome of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. Due to the possibility of the spontaneous regression of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy and the high prevalence of the infection in the general population, prospective and masked clinical trials are necessary to confirm that treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection may benefit patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil. mcasella@sercomtel.com.br
authors.forename: Antonio Marcelo Barbante
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Casella
authors.forename: Rodrigo Fabri
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Berbel
authors.forename: Gláucio Luciano
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Bressanim
authors.forename: Marcus Rudolph
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Malaguido
authors.forename: José Augusto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cardillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056833:Central Serous Chorioretinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome