Premium
Correlation between decreased choroidal blood flow velocity and the pathogenesis of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy
Author(s) -
Saito Michiyuki,
Saito Wataru,
Hashimoto Yuki,
Yoshizawa Chikako,
Shinmei Yasuhiro,
Noda Kousuke,
Ishida Susumu
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/ceo.12143
Subject(s) - medicine , ophthalmology , visual acuity , occult , retinopathy , pathology , alternative medicine , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology
Background To evaluate changes of choroidal circulation quantitatively using laser speckle flowgraphy in patients with acute zonal occult outer retinopathy. Design Retrospective observational case series. Participants Sixteen eyes of 11 acute zonal occult outer retinopathy patients: seven non‐treated eyes with good visual acuity and nine systemic corticosteroid‐treated eyes with progressive visual acuity loss. Six eyes with thyroid‐associated ophthalmopathy receiving systemic corticosteroid therapy served as controls. Methods The mean blur rate, an index of quantitative relative blood flow velocity, in the affected area was measured by laser speckle flowgraphy. The changes of mean blur rate, best‐corrected visual acuity and the average threshold at the affected area on H umphrey perimetry during 24‐week follow up were analysed. Main Outcome Measures Mean blur rate, best‐corrected visual acuity, and the average threshold. Results In non‐treated eyes, the average mean blur rate significantly increased at 24 weeks, with a significant increase of the average threshold. In corticosteroid‐treated eyes, the mean blur rates at 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks were significantly higher than the pretreatment value, with significant improvement of best‐corrected visual acuity and the average threshold. The increase in mean blur rate at 4 weeks in corticosteroid‐treated acute zonal occult outer retinopathy eyes was significantly higher than that in corticosteroid‐treated control eyes. Conclusions In eyes with acute zonal occult outer retinopathy, the mean blur rate at the affected area significantly increases along with improvement of visual functions. These results suggest that impaired choroidal circulation is involved in the pathogenesis of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy.