Clinical variations of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: A cohort study from Japan and the USA

Sci Rep. 2023 Mar 23;13(1):4800. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-31649-x.

Abstract

We describe the clinical characteristics of treatment-naïve polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) in three tertiary clinic settings in 2 cities (Chicago in the USA and Nishinomiya in Japan). This cohort study was a retrospective, multicenter, consecutive case series. A total of 126 patients with treatment-naïve PCV-46 in Chicago and 80 in Nishinomiya-were identified. The proportion of PCV in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration was lower in Chicago (10.8% vs. 36.9%). Patients in Chicago had a significantly higher prevalence of soft drusen (50.0% vs 25.0%, p = 0.006) and intra-retinal cyst (37.0% vs 15.0%, p = 0.008), and a significantly lower prevalence of pachyvessels (41.3% vs 62.5%, p = 0.03). At baseline, presenting vision for patients in Chicago was worse than in Nishinomiya (mean log MAR: 0.609 vs. 0.312, p < 0.001). Ninety-five eyes were followed for more than one year. The Nishinomiya group received a higher rate of combination therapy (61.0%) compared to the Chicago group (5.3%). Vision and central foveal thickness at month 12 were significantly improved from baseline in both Chicago (p = 0.009 and p = 0.01) and Nishinomiya groups (both p < 0.001). Our study highlights interesting differences in the proportion of PCV, clinical findings and treatment responses of PCV, that need to be further evaluated in larger, epidemiologic cohorts.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Choroid / blood supply
  • Choroid Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Choroidal Neovascularization* / diagnosis
  • Choroidal Neovascularization* / drug therapy
  • Choroidal Neovascularization* / epidemiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy
  • Polyps* / diagnosis
  • Polyps* / epidemiology
  • Polyps* / pathology
  • Retinal Drusen* / pathology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence