Article
Is there an overlap between APMPPE and serpiginous chorioretinitis?
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Published: | September 22, 2004 |
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Outline
Text
Objective
Following the literature acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE) and serpiginous chorioretinitis are two separat disorders. Recently an overlap between both disorders has been published, characterized by descrepancies between clinical findings and prognosis typically found in both entities. In this regard our patients have been analysed.
Methods
Retrospectively we analysed 17 patients with APMPPE and 13 patients with serpiginous (observation period at least 3 months). The following criteria were regarded to be untypical for APMPPE: untypical fluoresceineangiogram, bad visual outcome due to macular involvement, central membrane formation or recurrences. Untypical for serpiginous: untypical fluoreceineangiogram, excellent therapy response with good visual outcome, clinical aspect like APMPPE with progress to serpiginous.
Results
In our analysis, 7 (41%) patients with APMPPE were regarded as untypical (recurrences in 4, contradiction between clinical aspect and fluoresceineangiogram in 4 patients, massively reduced visual acuity due to macular changes) and 5 (38%) patients with serpiginous (contradiction between clinical aspect and fluoresceineangiogram in 4 patients, good visual outcome despite macular changes).
Conclusions
Our study demonstrates that APMPPE, being described as disease with favourable outcome, can progress into serpiginous chorioretinitis in between months. On the other side, serpiginous can have signs of APMPPE. Even at the begin of the disease patients with APMPPE should be controlled often and receive antiinflammatory therapy. Serpiginous seems to response at least mildly to this treatment.