A COMMON FINDING IN FOVEAL-SPARING EXTENSIVE MACULAR ATROPHY WITH PSEUDODRUSEN IMPLICATES BASAL LAMINAR DEPOSITS

Purpose: To characterize structural and clinical alterations preceding the diffuse macular atrophy in extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen (EMAP) and their evolution toward atrophic changes. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients with early-onset reticular pseudodrusen (i.e., pre-EMAP) younger than 55 years and EMAP with foveal sparing. Patients were included if they had complete medical records and multimodal imaging. Results: A total of 12 patients were reviewed, of whom 4 of 12 patients (7 eyes) presented a pre-EMAP stage, characterized by the presence of pseudodrusen-like deposits without atrophic changes, while the remaining 8 of 12 patients (10 eyes) exhibited EMAP with foveal sparing (60.1 +/- 6.4 years). Subretinal deposits of various stages tended to fade, leaving subretinal pigment epithelium accumulation of hyperreflective material with a physical separation between the retinal pigment epithelium-basal lamina and the Bruch membrane, along with the persistence of hyperreflective material after retinal pigment epithelium loss. These findings preceded atrophy development in a pre-EMAP stage and the EMAP stage with foveal sparing. Conclusion: Our findings presented distinct multimodal imaging features in eyes with reticular pseudodrusen depicting a peculiar phenotype of rapidly progressing atrophy in midlife. The disease spectrum may include other forms of geographic atrophy allied by thickened basal laminar deposits.

Automated summary

This study aimed to investigate the structural and clinical changes preceding diffuse macular atrophy in extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen (EMAP) and their progression towards atrophic changes. The results revealed that prior to EMAP stage, there were pseudodrusen-like deposits, while during the EMAP stage, foveal sparing was observed. These findings provide insights into the development of these eye diseases.