Baseline Features in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy in Caucasian Patients
Maria Ludovica Ruggeri1, Lisa Toto1, Rossella D'Aloisio1
1Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Summary
Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) patients exhibit higher choroidal vascularity index (CVI) and thicker choroids, even in fellow eyes. Male patients with PCV generally have poorer outcomes, with no link to systemic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Retinal Diseases
Background:
- Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is a subtype of age-related macular degeneration.
- Understanding PCV's demographic, anatomical, angiographic, and functional characteristics is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate demographic, anatomical, angiographic, and functional parameters in patients with unilateral PCV.
- To compare these parameters between affected eyes, fellow eyes, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 60 treatment-naïve unilateral PCV patients.
- Multimodal imaging including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography.
- Comparison of central macular thickness (CMT), subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), and choroidal vascularity index (CVI) between groups.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher CVI in affected and fellow eyes compared to healthy eyes (p=0.049; p=0.003).
- Thicker subfoveal choroid in diseased eyes versus healthy eyes (p=0.002).
- Negative correlation between age and SFCT, CMT, BCVA. Male gender associated with poorer anatomical and functional parameters.
Conclusions:
- Unilateral PCV is associated with choroidal changes (higher CVI) extending to fellow eyes, negatively related to age.
- Male PCV patients in this cohort had worse baseline BCVA and higher CMT than females.
- No association found between PCV and systemic conditions.
Keywords:
Optical coherence tomography angiographyPolypoidal choroidal vasculopathySpectral-domain optical coherence tomographyMore Related Videos
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