Gender variation in central serous chorioretinopathy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Medical Research

Background:

• Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is a condition affecting vision.
• Understanding sex-based differences in CSC presentation and outcomes is crucial for targeted treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatment outcomes of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) between male and female subjects.
• To investigate potential sex disparities in the progression and severity of CSC.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study comparing 155 male and 155 female subjects diagnosed with CSC.
• Analysis included demographic data, clinical presentation, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and angiographic features at baseline and follow-up.

Main Results:

• While initial visual acuity was similar, females had significantly better visual acuity at last follow-up (p=0.02).
• Male subjects exhibited higher rates of subretinal deposits, hyperreflective foci, retinal pigment epithelial detachment, and RPE irregularities (p<0.001 to p=0.03).
• Angiography revealed more diffuse leakage and RPE tracts in males (p=0.01 and p=0.02).

Conclusions:

• Female patients with CSC demonstrate better visual outcomes and a lower incidence of OCT-identified retinal damage compared to males.
• These findings suggest a potentially more favorable prognosis for females with central serous chorioretinopathy.