title: Macular telangiectasia--changes in macular pigment optical density during a 5-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively analyze the distribution of macular pigment (MP) over a period of 5 years and for monitoring progression of macular telangiectasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Macular pigment concentration (autofluorescence, excitation wavelengths: 488 and 514 nm) was determined at baseline and after 5 years in 43 eyes of 22 subjects (46-80 years; mean, 65.6 years; 10 men) participating in the macular telangiectasia project.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean MP density at 0.5° declined in the segment (one eighth of a circle) with the highest MP optical density (-0.04 density units; P= 0.015), where density units (DU), and also averaged in the 2 segments that divided segments with detectable MP from those in which MP was no longer detectable (-0.04 density units; P = 0.0005). In the first segment mentioned, 2° values decreased to a lesser extent and not significantly. The diameter of MP loss expanded horizontally from 2.64 mm to 2.74 mm (P = 0.0001) but not vertically. Macular pigment density in the "halo" of peripheral MP at a mean of 5.44° (4.53-6.21°) increased (+0.01 DU; P= 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Five years of follow-up resulted in central (0.5°) reduction and peripheral (4.53-6.21°) accumulation of MP. Longer period of follow-up may disclose significant changes in paracentral locations. The area of central MP loss expands in particular in a horizontal direction and less vertically. Centrifugal movement of MP during disease may explain our findings.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Meike B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Zeimer
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spital
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heimes
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lommatzsch
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pauleikhoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D014975:Lutein / Q000378:metabolism*; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061848:Optical Imaging; D012168:Retinal Pigments / Q000378:metabolism*; D058456:Retinal Telangiectasis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D065146:Zeaxanthins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012168:Retinal Pigments; D065146:Zeaxanthins; C584722:meso-zeaxanthin; D014975:Lutein