[Long-term follow-up and angiographic findings in serpiginous choroiditis]

Long-term follow-up and angiographic findings of serpiginous choroiditis, a chronic disease with recurrences of unknown origin, are reported.

A retrospective analysis of the data of 4 patients with serpiginous choroidopathy, who were treated in the eye clinic of Mainz in the past 10-18 years was made. Progression of disease was documented by photography, as well as fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Patients with acute lesions were treated with steroids per os for some weeks.

All 8 eyes developed 2-7 recurrences with progression of the chorioretinal scars. In cases of macular involvement the functional results were worse. No choroidal neovascularizations were seen. During follow-up 3/8 eyes became blind, 4/8 eyes retained reading vision. Indocyanine green angiography usually demonstrated many more lesions than those seen with fluorescein. In 3 cases acute choroidal lesions were detected only with indocyanine green angiography whereas no sign of inflammation was demonstrated by fluorescein angiography.

The functional prognosis of serpiginous choroiditis is bad because all eyes developed at least 2 recurrences during follow-up. Use of indocyanine green angiography may help to better describe the full extent of the disease, even before it is seen with fluorescein angiography. It can help the observer to determine the precise clinical progression of the disease.