Biomarkers for central serous chorioretinopathy

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Choroid Diseases

Background:

• Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a common chorioretinal disease causing serous retinal detachment, often affecting the macula.
• While acute CSCR is self-limiting, recurrent episodes can lead to chronic disease and visual impairment.
• Delayed diagnosis, due to misunderstanding disease biomarkers, exacerbates visual morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review clinical understanding of CSCR biomarkers.
• To emphasize recent findings in patient demographics, risk factors, imaging, and management.
• To improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on CSCR biomarkers.
• Analysis of patient demographics and risk factors associated with CSCR.
• Evaluation of clinical imaging findings, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography.
• Assessment of management options and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• Susceptibility to CSCR is linked to specific biomarkers: age 30-44, male gender, stress, hypercortisolism, sleep disturbance, pregnancy, and genetic predisposition.
• OCT biomarkers like choroidal thickness (CT) and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) show diagnostic and prognostic value.
• Nonspecific OCT/OCT angiography findings include choroidal neovascularization, photoreceptor alteration, and pigment epithelium detachment.
• Rare complications include cystoid macular edema (CME) and cystoid macular degeneration (CMD).

Conclusions:

• Early identification of CSCR biomarkers is crucial for timely diagnosis and management.
• OCT and OCT angiography provide valuable insights into CSCR.
• While CME may respond to anti-VEGF treatment, CMD can cause irreversible damage.