Increased macular choroidal blood flow velocity and decreased choroidal thickness with regression of punctate inner choroidopathy

Background: Changes in choroidal circulation hemodynamics during the course of punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC) remain unknown. The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate changes in choroidal blood flow velocity by using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) in patients with PIC. Case presentation: This PIC patient was initially treated with systemic corticosteroids for 4 months. LSFG measurements were taken 10 consecutive times before treatment and at 1, 3, 12, 20 and 23 months after the initiation of therapy. The mean blur rate (MBR), a quantitative index of relative blood flow velocity, was calculated using LSFG in three regions: Circles 1, 2 and 3 were set at the fovea, a lesion site, and an area of normal-appearing retina, respectively. The PIC lesions scarred after treatment along with improvements in visual function and outer retinal morphology. When the changing rate of macular flow over the 12-month follow-up period was compared with the MBR before treatment (100%), an increase of 16-37%, 24-49% and 15-18% was detected in Circles 1, 2 and 3, respectively. At the time of PIC recurrence after 20 months, the MBR decreased temporarily but subsequently increased after retreatment with systemic corticosteroids. This trend was accompanied by a decrease in choroidal thickness at the lesion site after retreatment. Conclusions: Macular choroidal blood flow velocity increased and choroidal thickness decreased concurrently with regression of PIC. The present findings suggest that inflammation-related impairments in choroidal circulation may relate to the pathogenesis of PIC, extending over a wider area in the posterior pole than the PIC lesions per se

Increased macular choroidal blood flow velocity during systemic corticosteroid therapy in a patient with acute macular neuroretinopathy

Purpose: The precise mechanism causing outer retinal damage in acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) remains unclear. In this study, choroidal blood flow velocity was quantitatively evaluated using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) in a patient with AMN who received systemic corticosteroid therapy. Methods: Corticosteroids were systemically administrated across 4 months for an AMN patient. LSFG measurements were taken ten consecutive times before treatment and at 1 week and 1, 3, and 10 months after the onset of therapy. The square blur rate, a quantitative index of relative blood flow velocity, was calculated using LSFG in three regions: Square 1, the macular lesion with findings of severe multifocal electroretinography amplitude reduction, and Squares 2 and 3, funduscopically normal-appearing retinal areas with findings of moderate and mild multifocal electroretinography amplitude reduction, respectively. Results: The AMN lesion gradually decreased after treatment and improved results were detected on the Amsler chart, as well as on optical coherence tomography and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. When the changing rates of the macular flow were compared with the mean square blur rate level before treatment (100%), 14.6%, 24.5%, 12.9%, and 16.3% increases were detected in Square 1 (macular lesion) at 1 week and 1, 3, and 10 months after treatment, respectively. Similarly, in Square 2 (normal-appearing area next to the lesion), 12.6%, 18.6%, 6.7%, and 8.3% increases were also noted at 1 week and 1, 3, and 10 months after treatment, respectively. In Square 3 (normal-appearing area apart from the lesion), 16.0%, 15.1%, 19.1%, and 3.8% increases were measured at 1 week and 1, 3, and 10 months after treatment, respectively. Conclusion: In a patient with AMN, choroidal blood flow velocity at the lesion site, which was examined with LSFG, sequentially increased during systemic corticosteroid therapy, together with improvement of visual function. The present findings suggest that choroidal circulation impairment relates to the pathogenesis of AMN, extending over a wider area in the posterior pole than the site of an AMN lesion per se

Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy in Japanese Patients : Clinical Features, Visual Function, and Factors Affecting Visual Function

Purpose To evaluate the clinical features and investigate their relationship with visual function in Japanese patients with acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR). Methods Fifty-two eyes of 38 Japanese AZOOR patients (31 female and 7 male patients; mean age at first visit, 35.0 years; median follow-up duration, 31 months) were retrospectively collected: 31 untreated eyes with good visual acuity and 21 systemic corticosteroid-treated eyes with progressive visual acuity loss. Variables affecting the logMAR values of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the mean deviation (MD) on Humphrey perimetry at initial and final visits were examined using multiple stepwise linear regression analysis. Results In untreated eyes, the mean MD at the final visit was significantly higher than that at the initial visit (P = 0.00002). In corticosteroid-treated eyes, the logMAR BCVA and MD at the final visit were significantly better than the initial values (P = 0.007 and P = 0.02, respectively). The final logMAR BCVA was 0.0 or less in 85% of patients. Variables affecting initial visual function were moderate anterior vitreous cells, myopia severity, and a-wave amplitudes on electroretinography; factors affecting final visual function were the initial MD values, female sex, moderate anterior vitreous cells, and retinal atrophy. Conclusions Our data indicated that visual functions in enrolled patients significantly improved spontaneously or after systemic corticosteroids therapy, suggesting that Japanese patients with AZOOR have good visual outcomes during the follow-up period of this study. Furthermore, initial visual field defects, gender, anterior vitreous cells, and retinal atrophy affected final visual functions in these patients