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A case of central serous chorioretinopathy occurring after γ-hydroxybutyric acid (liquid ecstasy) ingestion
Giulio Bamonte1, Joeri de Hoog, Pieter R Van Den Biesen
1HAGAziekenhuis, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
To describe a patient with acute central serous chorioretinopathy after use of γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), also known as "liquid ecstasy."
Methods:
Observational case report of a patient who developed central serous chorioretinopathy a day after use of GHB at a party.
Results:
A young adult male patient presented at the department complaining of non-improving acute onset of vision loss in the left eye after use of GHB at a party 3 weeks before. Fundus examination, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography revealed a dome-shaped retinal elevation centered to the macula of the left eye, suggesting the diagnosis of central serous chorioretinopathy. Spontaneous subretinal fluid resolution with improvement of vision was observed a month later.
Conclusion:
γ-hydroxybutyric acid has been reported to induce an acute increase in cortisol secretion after its administration. In addition, a case of Cushing syndrome after chronic abuse of GHB has been described. The acutely increased cortisol levels, induced by GHB, might have been the cause of central serous chorioretinopathy in the patient.
