Abstract
Purpose: :
Central serous retinopathy (CSR) is a disorder characterized by an exudative neurosensory retinal detachment, resulting in decreased visual acuity and/or metamorphopsia. The etiology and risk factors are not fully established. A genetic or racial component has not been reported. The authors had noted a greater degree of bilateral involvement in Chinese patients and therefore hypothesized that Chinese patients may show a greater degree of IVFA findings in the fellow eye than non-Chinese patients.
Methods: :
The present study reports IVFA findings in the clinically unaffected eye (fellow eye) at that time of initial diagnosis of acute CSR in the symptomatic eye. The study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of 100 consecutive cases from 2006-2009 referred to a vitreoretinal specialty group in New York City that has a large volume of Chinese immigrant patients. The diagnosis of CSR was made with clinical examination, OCT imaging and often IVFA. Exclusion criteria included diagnoses of any other prior retinal disease. The IVFA findings in the fellow eye were categorized into four groups; no defects, irregular transmission defects (representing resolved fluid accumulation), round, sharp, bordered hyperfluorescence spots (representing pigment epithelial detachment) and leakage (progressive hyperfluorescence). The FA reader was blinded towars the age, gender and ethnicity of the subjects under study
Results: :
Out of 100 consecutive cases, 25 were found to be Chinese (20 males and 5 females) and 75 were non-Chinese (60 males and 15 females). The average age of Chinese patients was 46.6 years and of non-Chinese was 46.2 years. With respect to encountering leakage in the fellow eye on IVFA in Chinese patients vs Non-Chinese patients the observed odds ratio was 18.5 with a 95% CI of (2,166) and the Fisher Exact test demonstrates a p value of .003. The other variables showed no statistically significant difference.
Conclusions: :
No racial predilection has previously been reported for acute CSR. In the present study, Chinese patients showed a significantly more active disease in the fellow eye on IVFA than non-Chinese patients. This may suggest a racial and therefore genetic component to developing CSR.