Lipid Exudation Research Articles

Optical coherence tomography angiography of non-exudative choroidal neovascularization.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been classified in two groups, neovascular and non-neovascular, which historically has been synonymous with exudative and non-exudative, respectively. Neovascular AMD occurs when pathologic blood vessels, choroidal neovascularization (CNV), arise from the choroid and extend above Bruch’s membrane toward the outer retina. Often these vessels are exudative in nature, resulting in leakage of fluid, lipid exudate, or blood causing vision loss. The exudation from CNV allows detection as leakage with dye based angiography and as fluid with structural optical coherence tomography (OCT). In 2013, Querques et al . used multimodel imaging to detect treatment naive quiescent CNV (1). This diagnosis requires presence of (I) moderate reflective material between an elevated retinal pigment epithelium and Bruch’s membrane on spectral domain OCT; (II) absence of fluid on OCT; (III) staining with fluorescein angiography; and (IV) a plaque identified with indocyanine green angiography. This study confirmed the existence of non-exudative neovascular AMD, and that exudation is not required for the presence of CNV. OCT angiography (OCTA), which can detect CNV as moving blood cells in the outer retinal slab (2) rather than relying on the presence of leakage on FA or fluid on OCT, is an ideal imaging modality to further study non-exudative CNV.

Bilateral polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy coexisting with exudative and atrophic age-related macular degeneration

Abstract Objective To present the case of simultaneous presentation of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and aged-related macular degeneration (AMD). Case report An 83-year-old woman presented with decreased vision in the left eye (LE). In the examination there was an orange peripapillary lesion surrounded by lipid exudates and another subfoveal grayish lesion in the LE. Disciform scarring was observed in the right eye. Fluorescein angiography showed a classic neovascular membrane in in the LE fovea. Indocyanine angiography (ICGA) showed a polyp-like peri-papillary aneurysmal dilation in both eyes. The patient was treated with photodynamic therapy and anti-VEFG injections with stabilization of the lesions. Conclusion PCV and AMD can co-exist in unusual cases. When PCV is suspected, ICGA is mandatory for diagnosis.

Clinical Features and Course of Patients with Peripheral Exudative Hemorrhagic Chorioretinopathy.

Objectives:To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients who were followed in our clinic with the diagnosis of peripheral exudative hemorrhagic chorioretinopathy (PEHC).Materials and Methods:Medical records of 12 patients who were diagnosed with PEHC in İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology between July 2006 and June 2014 were reviewed retrospectively.Results:This study included 21 eyes of 12 patients. Four (33.3%) of the patients were male and 8 (66.7%) were female and ages ranged between 73 and 89 years. Eight (66.7%) of the patients were referred to us with the diagnosis of choroidal mass. Unilateral involvement was found in 3 and bilateral involvement in 9 patients. Temporal quadrants were involved in all eyes. Fifteen eyes (71.4%) had subretinal hemorrhage and hemorrhagic/serous retinal pigment epithelial detachment, 11 (52.4%) had lipid exudation, 5 (23.8%) had chronic retinal pigment epithelium alterations, 2 (9.5%) had subretinal fibrosis and 1 (4.8%) had vitreous hemorrhage. PEHC lesions were accompanied by drusen in 11 eyes (52.4%), geographic atrophy in 2 eyes (9.5%), and choroidal neovascularization scar in 2 eyes (9.5%). Treatment was done in both eyes of a patient for lesions which threatened the macula, in a patient with bilateral macular edema and in a patient with vitreous hemorrhage. The remaining eyes were followed-up without any treatment because the lesions did not threaten the macula and they showed no progression during follow-up.Conclusion:PEHC is a degenerative disease of peripheral retina that is seen in older patients, and signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may accompany this pathology. Especially in patients with AMD findings, the peripheral retina must be evaluated carefully for existing PEHC lesions.

Laser Photocoagulation for Peripheral Retinal Capillary Hemangioblastoma in von Hippel-Lindau Disease

To study the efficacy and limits of laser photocoagulation for retinal capillary hemangioblastoma (RCH) of various sizes in von Hippel-Lindau disease. Retrospective study. The records of 176 patients with von Hippel-Lindau were reviewed retrospectively. Seventy-four patients with 304 RCHs in 100 eyes were treated primarily with laser photocoagulation. Eyes with concomitant rhegmatogenous or tractional retinal detachment or with papillary RCH were excluded. The treatment consisted of inactivating RCH using direct green laser photocoagulation with long-duration laser burns (0.1-0.7 seconds). The number of RCH lesions per eye, RCH size in disc diameter (DD) at diagnosis, the presence of retinal lipid exudation or subretinal fluid, and visual acuity were recorded. Final outcomes included RCH inactivation, posttreatment complications, and final visual acuity. Patient mean age was 28 years (range, 8-62). Mean follow-up duration after treatment was 4.5 years (range, 0.4-17.5). Median RCH size was 0.25 DD (range, 0.25-3.00). Laser alone inactivated 97% of RCHs. A mean number of 1.6 laser sessions (range, 1-8) were needed to achieve RCH inactivation. A single laser session allowed coagulating 77% of RCHs. Their median size was 0.50 DD (range, 0.25-1.50). More than 1 laser session was needed to inactivate 23% of RCHs. Their median size was 1 DD (range, 0.25-3.00). Among them, 29 (10% of all RCHs) needed additional laser session during the first 48 hours. Their median size was 1.5 DD (range, 0.5-3). Subretinal fluid transiently increased in 7 eyes after the first laser session and was controlled promptly by additional photocoagulation. Additional cryotherapy was needed only in 7 eyes with large RCH partially inactivated by laser. In all eyes, visual acuity remained stable during the follow-up. In the absence of tractional retinal detachment, laser photocoagulation allowed inactivating most RCHs up to 3 DD, even when they were associated with subretinal fluid. Laser photocoagulation alone inactivated 100% of RCHs up to 1 DD, and 73% of larger RCHs. In such cases, additional cryotherapy increased RCH inactivation to 94% so that 99% of all treated RCHs were finally inactivated.

Changes in Neovascular Lesion Hyperreflectivity After Anti-VEGF Treatment in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Integrated Multimodal Imaging Analysis.

To correlate presence of hyperreflective material (HRM) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) with color fundus photography (CFP) in patients with different subtypes of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (n-AMD). Retrospective assessments were made at baseline and months 1, 3, and 12 after initiation of treatment. At baseline, CFP images were graded for the presence of blood, fibrin and lipid exudates, and retinal angiograms for n-AMD subtype. At the four selected visits, SD-OCT scans were graded for HRM type (well-defined or undefined) and location (subretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal pigment epithelium [RPE]), integrity of RPE, ellipsoid zone, and external limiting membrane (ELM). A total of 121 eyes with active n-AMD from 117 patients were included. At baseline, undefined HRM was strongly associated with fibrin on CFP (χ2 = 39.87; P < 0.001). The overall prevalence of HRM decreased from 85.9% at baseline to 52.9% by month 12. From baseline to month 12, undefined HRM decreased (53.7% vs. 7.4%, respectively) and well-defined HRM increased (32.2% vs. 45.5%, respectively). Sub-RPE HRM, which was infrequent at baseline, increased up to 30.6% by month 12. At month 12, eyes with no HRM had the best mean final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and those with undefined HRM the worst. Multivariate regression analysis showed that ELM disruption at both baseline and month 12 was a negative predictive factor for final BCVA (P = 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), whereas presence of subretinal fluid at month 12 and number of treatments were positive predictors for final BCVA (P = 0.007 and P = 0.041, respectively), but the covariates describing HRM did not reach statistical significance in these models. In eyes with n-AMD, location and morphology of HRM changed after anti-VEGF treatment, and differences were observed in the various choroidal neovascularization (CNV) subtypes. After anti-VEGF treatment, it was well-defined HRM in the sub-RPE space that was observed mostly.

WIDE-FIELD IMAGING OF NONEXUDATIVE AND EXUDATIVE CONGENITAL X-LINKED RETINOSCHISIS.

To describe wide-field imaging features of patients with congenital X-linked retinoschisis. This is a retrospective nonconsecutive series of 36 eyes from 18 patients with congenital X-linked retinoschisis from 2008 to 2014. Wide-field color fundus photographs, optical coherence tomography images, and wide-field fluorescein angiography images were reviewed. Patients were classified to have either exudative or nonexudative retinoschisis based on the presence or absence of lipid exudates. Eleven eyes exhibited exudative retinoschisis (30%), whereas the remaining were nonexudative. Exudative disease occurred more commonly in older patients (14.4 vs. 4.0 years; P < 0.001). The most frequent location of exudation was the macula. Subretinal hemorrhage was present in 4 eyes (11%). Macular findings included an atypical foveal avascular zone in 7 eyes (19%) and submacular fibrosis or retinal folds in 6 eyes (17%). Peripheral characteristics included fibrosis or folds (11%), bridging vessels (8%), and vascular sheathing (8%). Thirteen of the 22 eyes (59%) demonstrated leakage on fluorescein angiography. Exudation may be more common in congenital X-linked retinoschisis than previously recognized. The presence of exudates with concurrent angiographic leakage suggests that exudation may be due to chronic vascular permeability and not solely caused by intraschisis hemorrhage, which has been classically described.

Vasculopatía coroidea polipoidea bilateral, coexistiendo con degeneración macular asociada a la edad exudativa y atrófica

ObjectiveTo present the case of simultaneous presentation of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and aged-related macular degeneration (AMD). Case reportAn 83-year-old woman presented with decreased vision in the left eye (LE). In the examination there was an orange peripapillary lesion surrounded by lipid exudates and another subfoveal greyish lesion in the LE. Disciform scarring was observed in the right eye. Fluorescein angiography showed a classic neovascular membrane in in the LE fovea. Indocyanine angiography (ICGA) showed a polyp-like peri-papillary aneurysmal dilation in both eyes. The patient was treated with photodynamic therapy and anti-VEFG injections with stabilisation of the lesions. ConclusionPCV and AMD can co-exist in unusual cases. When PCV is suspected, ICGA is mandatory for diagnosis.

Maladie de Leber-Coats : étude rétrospective sur 10 cas

Retrospective study analyzing clinical characteristics and treatment of children affected by Leber-Coats' disease. Children with Leber-Coats' disease seen in Edouard-Herriot Hospital, Lyon, between January 2004 and September 2013 were included. The following clinical characteristics were reported: sex, age at diagnosis, presenting symptom, Shields' stage, treatment used, and visual outcomes. Ten children were included in our study. Mean age at diagnosis was 5.5 years. The disease was unilateral in 9/10 cases. The presenting symptom was loss of vision in 7/10 cases, strabismus in 3/10 cases, and microphthalmos in 1 case. The diagnosis was made fortuitously during a follow-up of familial congenital cataract in 2 patients. No cases of leukocoria were seen. Shields' stages were distributed as follows: stage 1, 2A and 2B: 1 case each, stage 3A1: 7 cases, stage>3A1: no cases. Laser photocoagulation was used up to stage 2B, combined with cryotherapy in stage 3A. Stage 1 and 2A were associated with relatively good final visual acuity. Significant macular lipid exudate (stage>2A) was associated with a worse prognosis. These epidemiological data help us to better characterize these patients' prognosis. Early diagnosis seems to improve visual outcomes.

TOTAL REGRESSION OF ACQUIRED RETINAL ASTROCYTOMA USING PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

To report successful treatment of a fine-needle aspiration biopsy-proven acquired retinal astrocytoma with photodynamic therapy. Case report. A 50-year-old man complaining of decreased vision of his right eye was found to have a visual acuity of 20/100 and an amelanotic juxtapapillary retinal tumor with surrounding subretinal fluid and lipid exudation extending into the fovea. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy showed an astrocytic lesion consistent with retinal astrocytoma. The lesion was treated with one session of photodynamic therapy. At 20 months after photodynamic therapy, visual acuity had improved to 20/20 with complete tumor regression and normal foveal contour on optical coherence tomography. This report confirms that photodynamic therapy of symptomatic acquired retinal astrocytoma may be effective in causing tumor regression and stabilizing or improving visual acuity by reducing tumor leakage.

Intravitreal bevacizumab in congenital retinal macrovessel with retinal arteriolar macroaneurysm

Congenital retinal macrovessel (CRM) refers to an aberrant vessel, usually a vein, which traverses the macula and supplies both sides of the horizontal raphe. It is a rare condition, mostly asymptomatic and discovered on routine examination. We describe a case of both arterial and venous CRM with a macroaneurysm along the arterial CRM that presented with decreased vision due to prominent lipid exudation at the macula. Treatment with intravitreal bevacizumab resulted in a favourable anatomical as well as functional outcome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this unusual presentation of CRM, and its successful management with intravitreal bevacizumab.

Multimodality imaging in macular telangiectasia 2: A clue to its pathogenesis.

Macular telangiectasia type 2 also known as idiopathic perifoveal telangiectasia and juxtafoveolar retinal telangiectasis type 2A is an acquired bilateral neurodegenerative macular disease that manifests itself during the fifth or sixth decades of life. It is characterized by minimal dilatation of the parafoveal capillaries with graying of the retinal area involved, a lack of lipid exudation, right-angled retinal venules, refractile deposits in the superficial retina, hyperplasia of the retinal pigment epithelium, foveal atrophy, and subretinal neovascularization (SRNV). Our understanding of the disease has paralleled advances in multimodality imaging of the fundus. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images typically demonstrate the presence of intraretinal hyporeflective spaces that are usually not related to retinal thickening or fluorescein leakage. The typical fluorescein angiographic (FA) finding is a deep intraretinal hyperfluorescent staining in the temporal parafoveal area. With time, the staining may involve the whole parafoveal area but does not extend to the center of the fovea. Long-term prognosis for central vision is poor, because of the development of SRNV or macular atrophy. Its pathogenesis remains unclear but multimodality imaging with FA, spectral domain OCT, adaptive optics, confocal blue reflectance and short wave fundus autofluorescence implicate Müller cells and macular pigment. Currently, there is no known treatment for this condition.

Bilateral Optic Nerve Head Angiomas and Retrobulbar Haemangioblastomas in von Hippel-Lindau Disease

A 39-year-old man presented with progressive visual loss in both eyes. His past medical history was remarkable for biopsy-proven bilateral adrenal phaeochromocytomas. Ophthalmoscopy revealed an optic nerve head angioma and macular lipid exudates in the right eye and a regressed optic nerve head angioma in the left eye. A fluorescein angiogram revealed a lobulated pattern of leakage and venous staining from the optic nerve head angioma. Brain and orbital magnetic resonance imaging showed haemangioblastomas of the right intraorbital and left paraclinoid optic nerves and in the left cerebellopontine angle area. These findings were consistent with a clinical diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau disease.

An overlap of Coats and Eales diseases or a Coats variant?

To report an association between Coats and Eales diseases, an uncommon presentation. A 21-year-old male presented with gradual visual impairment of two years duration in his left eye. The slit-lamp examination of the affected eye revealed +2 vitreous cells. The other findings were peri-papillary fluid accumulation and extensive macular lipid exudate deposition. Small white vessels were coursing over the macula. The major veins were dilated and tortuous and massive sheathing of both arteries and veins was forming a common sheath. In the mid-periphery and periphery of the retina, discrete hard exudates, tiny superficial retinal hemorrhages and massive vascular sheathing were present. In the inferotemporal region, two intra-retinal macrocysts were located distal to the retinal vasculature. Fluorescein angiography (FA) of the left eye highlighted numerous aneurysmal dilatations throughout the posterior pole. Fluorescein angiography also showed para-foveal telangiectasia and tiny telangiectatic vessels on the optic disk that led to late staining of the macula and optic disk. Hyperfluorescent patches of deep choroiditis were present in the early phases. There was segmental but no diffuse staining of the retinal veins which showed massive sheathing on fundoscopy. In the periphery, segmental venous staining and choroidal leakage to a lesser extent were observed. In the infero-temporal quadrant, a clear-cut zone of non-perfusion and vascular abnormalities (micro-macro aneurysms, veno-venous shunts, venous beading) at the junction between the perfused and non-perfused zones were present. The findings were reminiscent of both Coats and Eales diseases. Though known as two distinct entities, both retinal pathologies may present in a single form.

Comparison of the effect of reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy with intravitreal bevacizumab and standard-fluence alone for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy

BackgroundPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) has previously been reported to be effective in treating polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), with satisfactory polyp regression. However, the optimum treatment protocol remains controversial. This study compared the effect of reduced-fluence PDT combined with intravitreal bevacizumab (rPDT/IVB) and standard-fluence PDT (sPDT) alone for treating symptomatic PCV in Chinese patients. MethodsA retrospective review was carried out of the medical records of patients with PCV who were treated with rPDT/IVB (14 eyes of 13 patients) or sPDT (12 eyes of 12 patients) with at least 6 months of follow-up. ResultsThe mean best-corrected visual acuity of the rPDT/IVB group improved significantly at the 6-month follow-up (p = 0.041). Only one eye (7.1%) in the rPDT/IVB group showed a decrease in visual acuity, compared with four eyes (33.3%) in the sPDT group. A total of 40.0% of eyes in the sPDT group showed increased lipid exudate at follow-up 1 month after treatment, whereas no increase in lipid exudate was observed in the rPDT/IVB group (p = 0.015). The mean maximum area of post-treatment hemorrhage in the rPDT/IVB group was smaller than that in the sPDT group (2.57 ± 2.74 mm2 vs. 12.69 ± 10.28 mm2, p = 0.042). ConclusionCombination therapy with rPDT/IVB for patients with PCV showed encouraging results in vision improvement, a lower decrease in visual acuity, significantly less post-treatment lipid exudate and a smaller area of post-treatment hemorrhage at the 6-month follow-up than patients treated with sPDT.

Spontaneous Resolution of Macular Edema in Leber’s Miliary Aneurysms

The natural history of Leber's miliary aneurysms is described. A patient with Leber's miliary aneurysm presented with count fingers visual acuity due to significant lipid exudates, intraretinal hemorrhages, and macular edema. Over the next 3 months, the macular edema resolved spontaneously and the visual acuity improved to 20/20. The dramatic improvement in both macular edema and visual acuity highlights the importance of conservative management before pursuing more invasive treatments.

Clinical course of patients with exudative-haemorrhagic age-related macular degeneration treated with ranibizumab. Eye2Eye study

ObjectiveTo assess the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) change in patients with exudative-hemorrhagic age-related macular degeneration (EH-ARMD) after 12-month period of treatment with ranibizumab. MethodsA retrospective, multicentre and national study of intravitreal administered ranibizumab was conducted on two groups of EH-ARMD patients: only one eye affected (group 1) vs second eye affected (group 2), having the first one affected.Eligible subjects were ≥50 years old with primary or secondary active subfoveal EH-ARMD-related choroidal neovascularisation (CNV). ResultsA total of 184 patients (91 group 1 and 93 group 2) were included. Mean age (SD) was 75.3 (7.5) years, and 53.6% were women. The BCVA showed a VA improvement at 12 months of 9.3 (18.0) number of letters in group 1 and 5.1 (16.8) number of letters in group 2 (p<0.0001 and p=0.0042, respectively). No statistical differences between groups were observed. Lesion characteristics in the total population (baseline vs 12-month) were: drusen (69.1% vs 61.1%), macular hemorrhages (59.0% vs 7.3%), lipid exudates (28.1% vs 8.2%), and retinal pigment epithelium detachment (46.8% vs 19.0%). The optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the total population (baseline vs 12-month) showed a reduction in macular edema (73.6% vs 20.9%), subretinal fluids (71.3% vs 14.7%), and intraretinal cysts (38.5% vs 19.7%), as well as a reduction of the mean foveal thickness 377.4±109.8μm vs 249.1±67.8μm in group 1 and 354.1±123.2μm vs 254.6±67.4μm in group 2, p<0.0001, both groups, with no significant differences between groups. ConclusionsIntravitreal administration of ranibizumab for a minimum of 12-months significantly improved the BCVA, decreased lesion characteristics, and reduced the initial mean foveal thickness in patients with CNV primary or secondary to EH-ARMD, both in patients with only one eye affected and in patients with a second eye affected, having the first one affected.

Massive lipid exudation and retinal detachment after combined brachytherapy and transpupillary thermotherapy in choroidal melanoma

Case reportA 59-year-old male with choroidal melanoma in the left eye who underwent plaque brachytherapy (iodine 125). One week after surgery, a massive exudation with retinal detachment and lipid exudation was observed. Progress was assessed with funduscopy and ultrasound every month. Nine months after surgery transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) was performed over the fluid-free irradiated residual tumor. Three months after this procedure, new retinal breaks appeared in the treated area, with vitreous seeding that required enucleation. DiscussionCombined treatment with plaque brachytherapy and TTT can involve severe complications that may require enucleation of the involved eye.

Tumor-related Lipid Exudation and Associated Tumor-related Complications after Plaque Radiotherapy of Posterior Uveal Melanoma

To identify complications associated with tumor-related lipid exudation (TRLE) after plaque radiotherapy of posterior uveal melanoma. Comparative study including 294 patients with posterior uveal melanoma who developed TRLE after plaque radiotherapy (TRLE group) and 294 patients who did not develop TRLE (non-TRLE group). Patients in the TRLE group were matched with patients in the non-TRLE group for age, gender, and initial tumor thickness. The TRLE group was associated with significantly higher incidence of postradiation complications including early transient increase of serous retinal detachment (p<0.001), iris neovascularization (NVI) (p<0.001), neovascular glaucoma (NVG) (p<0.001), posterior synechia (p<0.001), vitreous hemorrhage (p<0.001), subretinal hemorrhage (p<0.001), and retinoschisis (p<0.001). A significant relationship was found between extent of TRLE and NVI (p<0.001), NVG (p<0.001), posterior synechia (p = 0.007), and retinoschisis over tumor (p = 0.010). Radiation-induced retinopathy, maculopathy, and papillopathy were not associated with presence or extent of TRLE. Tumor-related lipid exudation was also associated with worse final visual acuity (p = 0.011), higher rate of secondary enucleation (p<0.001), and lower rate of systemic metastasis (p = 0.006). Tumor-related lipid exudation following plaque radiotherapy of posterior uveal melanoma is associated with major intraocular complications and portends poor prognosis for final visual acuity and eye retention. These findings provide evidence for the presence of 2 distinct pathogenic mechanisms, one radiation-induced and one tumor-related, in development of postradiation complications in eyes with posterior uveal melanoma.

Leber′s miliary aneurysms

Leber's disease is a form of primary retinal telangiectasia characterized by the presence of abnormalities in the retinal vasculature. It is an idiopathic, unilateral condition with male predilection. It is not associated with any other systemic or ocular disease. The disease has a very slow progression and can be complicated by vascular dilatations, neovascularizations, thromboses, retrovitreal hemorrhages, and macular changes. We present a case of Leber's miliary aneurysms in an asymptomatic 22-year-old male patient. His fundus examination showed aneurysmal dilatations with lipid exudation. Intravenous fluorescein angiography showed early and late leakage as well as capillary dropout with late hypofluorescence. In this case, the patient was treated with laser photocoagulation of the retina.

Statin sensitive lipid-retinopathy in familial hypercholesterolemia

An asymptomatic 9-year-old boy was referred for extensive lipid exudation into the retina. He was known to have familial hypercholesterolemia. The lipids resorbed rapidly and spontaneously merely by lowering the cholesterol levels with statins. The possible mechanism of action and the potential role of expanding this therapy are briefly discussed.