Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in Taiwan
1Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Insights
This study on polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in Taiwan found a poor visual prognosis. Taiwanese PCV patients experienced significant vision loss and disciform scar formation.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Diseases
- Vascular Anomalies
Background:
- Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a condition with varied international data.
- This is the first case series of PCV in the Taiwanese population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of PCV in Taiwanese patients.
- To investigate the prognosis of PCV in this specific ethnic group.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records for PCV patients.
- Data collected from January 2000 to October 2001 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
- Analysis of patient demographics, lesion location, visual acuity changes, and complications.
Main Results:
- Eight patients (9 eyes) were included, predominantly male (6/8) with an average age of 60.9 years.
- Macular polypoidal lesions were common (9/9 eyes), with some peripapillary involvement (2/9 eyes).
- Poor visual outcomes were observed: 4/9 eyes deteriorated >2 lines, 7/9 eyes had acuity <20/200, and 5/9 eyes developed disciform scarring.
Conclusions:
- The prognosis for PCV in Taiwanese patients appears worse compared to other ethnicities.
- High rates of disciform scar formation and central polypoidal lesions contribute to the poor prognosis.
Background:
Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) has been described since the 1980s with great variations in patient data in different countries. We report the first case series in the Taiwanese population.
Methods:
We reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with PCV between January 2000 and October 2001 at the retina clinics of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital.
Results:
Eight patients (9 eyes) were enrolled. Six were men. The average age was 60.9 (range, 48-72). One patient had bilateral disease. All of the 9 eyes had polypoidal lesions in the macular area; 2 eyes had peripapillary lesions. The average follow-up time was 16.5 months. One eye (1/9) improved more than 2 lines in the Snellen chart, 4 eyes (4/9) changed within 1 line, and 4 eyes (4/9) deteriorated more than 2 lines. Seven eyes (7/9) had final visual acuities worse than 20/200 and 5 eyes (5/9) developed disciform scarring.
Conclusions:
The prognosis of PCV among Taiwanese patients seems worse than in other ethnic groups. A high incidence of disciform scar formation and predominantly centrally located polypoid lesions seem to play an important role in the poor prognosis.