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Coat's disease. An epidemiologic and Fluorescein angiographic study
Insights
Coats
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Diseases
- Vascular Disorders
Background:
- Coats' disease is a rare disorder affecting retinal vascular walls.
- It primarily impacts one eye and predominantly affects males.
- The disease presents with varying severity across different age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical features and fluorescein angiographic findings in Coats' disease.
- To investigate the age distribution and severity patterns.
- To clarify the relationship between Coats' disease and Leber's military aneurysm retinitis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 112 consecutive cases of Coats' disease.
- Detailed examination of clinical presentation and patient demographics.
- Fluorescein angiography to assess vascular abnormalities.
Main Results:
- Unilateral involvement in 90.2% of cases, predominantly males (72%).
- Bimodal age distribution with peaks in <20 and 41-60 age groups.
- Common angiographic findings include vascular aneurysms, capillary abnormalities, and dye leakage, especially in advanced stages.
Conclusions:
- Coats' disease exhibits distinct demographic and clinical patterns.
- Fluorescein angiography is crucial for diagnosis and understanding disease progression.
- Leber's military aneurysm retinitis is likely a variant of Coats' disease.
Abstract:
Coats' disease represents a disorder of the retinal vascular walls. In a series of 112 consecutive eyes with Coats' disease the involvement was unilateral in 90.2%. The majority (72%) of patients were male. 57.8% were under 20 years of age. There was, however, a second peak of the disease (30.4%) between the age of 41 and 60. Severe cases were found mainly among juvenile patients, whereas in the senile group milder cases prevailed. Fluorescein angiographic findings comprised vascular aneurysms in almost all cases, rarefaction and coarsening of the capillary bed in 71%, capillary occlusions in 70%, occlusions of arterioles or arteries in 27%, shunt formations in 27%, extensive widening of arteries or veins in 27% and leakage of dye mainly in advanced cases. The participation of the central retina in the disease process was variable. Evidence is presented that Leber's military aneurysm retinitis is not a separate entity but a special form of Coats' disease.