Frequency of prepapillary vascular loops in Congolese patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of prepapillary vascular loops in the population of Congolese patients.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective cross-sectional and descriptive analysis of the data collected between January 2005 and August 2014 from patients diagnosed with prepapillary vascular loops, in an outpatient eye clinic, a general ophthalmology practice.


RESULTS
Out of 16,016 patients seen during the study period, 24 patients (27 eyes) were diagnosed with prepapillary vascular loops, for a frequency of 0.15%. The mean age of the patients with prepapillary vascular loops was 37.8 years±14 (SD) (range, 18 to 60 years). Male were more frequently diagnosed with prepapillary vascular loops than female (62.5% vs 37.5%). Unilateral prepapillary vascular loops were found in 77.8% and bilateral in 22.2% of eyes. Most of PPLs were estimated to be arterial (88.9% of eyes) based on clinical observation alone, as fluorescein angiography was not systematically performed. Ophthalmoscopically, the vessels appeared as simple (44.6%) or took more serial turns (corkscew or spiral-shaped) (55.6%). The average length of PPLs was 1.02mm (range 0.6 to 1.5mm) with an orientation (an axis orientation) in the superior nasal sector (50%), inferior nasal sector (33%) and superior temporal sector (17%); and a mean axis of 143° relative to the horizontal. Refractive errors were found in 16 eyes (59.3%) and included simple myopia (4 eyes, 14.8%), myopic astigmatism (8 eyes, 29.6%), hyperopic astigmatism (one eye, 3.7%), hyperopia (3 eyes, 11.1%); One patient (one eye, 3.7%) with high hyperopia had anisometropia. Primary open angle glaucoma was found in 5 (18.5%) eyes; vascular tortuosity was seen in two (7.4%) eyes. No complication such as retinal arterial occlusion, vitreous hemorrhage, or any other complication was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of 0.15% found in this study suggests that although rare, prepapillary vascular loops seem to be a bit more common in black people than in white and Asian people. An association between PPLs and refractive errors may be possible.
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Electronic address: dieudonne_kaimbo@yahoo.com.
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Kaimbo Wa Kaimbo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015858:Anisometropia / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D005124:Eye Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D015785:Eye Diseases, Hereditary / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006956:Hyperopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000453:epidemiology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000002:abnormalities*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
Afrique centrale; Anses vasculaires prépapillaires; Black race; Central Africa; DR Congo; Frequency; Fréquence; Prepapillary vascular loops; Race noire; Refraction; République démocratique du Congo