title: RISK FACTORS AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PRECHOROIDAL CLEFT IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the risk factors associated with prechoroidal cleft occurrence after treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and to elucidate its clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred thirty-four subjects who were treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration were assessed to identify prechoroidal cleft on optical coherence tomography. Clinical variables were compared between patients manifesting a cleft (cleft group) and patients who did not (control group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prechoroidal cleft was detected in 29 of 234 patients (8.1%). Although the baseline visual acuity was not different between the 2 groups, logMAR visual acuity at final visit was 0.89 ± 0.74 (with approximate Snellen equivalent of 20/160) in the cleft group and 0.65 ± 0.69 (with approximate Snellen equivalent of 20/100) in controls (P < 0.05). Within cleft group, the early-onset (<6 months) subgroup had even worse visual outcomes than the late-onset subgroup (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that the incidence of prechoroidal cleft was positively correlated with having received intravitreal gas injection to displace a submacular hemorrhage and a diagnosis of retinal angiomatous proliferation and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of retinal angiomatous proliferation and typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and a submacular hemorrhage treated by pneumatic displacement were the independent risk factors for development of prechoroidal cleft. Eyes with a cleft, especially clefts that develop early, generally had worse prognoses than eyes without clefts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Se Woong
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Dae Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Kunho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab