Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Based on Non-ICGA Criteria in White Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

PURPOSE: To determine prevalence of probable poly-poidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among White patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using non-indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) criteria & BULL; DESIGN: Multicenter, multinational, retrospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS: A total of 208 treatmentnaive eyes from Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals diagnosed with nAMD were included. All underwent color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FFA). De-identified images of study eyes were sent to 2 groups of graders. Group 1 reviewed CFP, OCT, and FFA to confirm nAMD diagnosis. Group 2 reviewed CFP and OCT to determine highly suggestive features for PCV. Probable PCV diagnosis defined as the presence of > 2 of 4 highly suggestive features for PCV: notched or fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (PED) on CFP, sharply-peaked PED, notched PED, and hyperreflective ring on OCT. RESULTS: Eleven eyes were excluded because of poor image quality (6) or non-nAMD diagnosis (5). Of 197 eligible eyes (197 patients), the mean age (SD) was 78.8 years (8.9), 44.2% were men, 26.4% were Hispanic, and 73.6% were non-Hispanic White individuals; 41.1%, 23.4%, 9.1%, and 2.5% had > 1, > 2, > 3, and 4 highly suggestive features. Results showed that 23.4% (95% CI, 17.6%-29.9%) had probable PCV diagnosis. Pre-dominantly occult CNV was more frequently found in probable PCV than nAMD subgroup (84.8% vs 64.9%, P = .01). Hispanic White individuals had a lower prevalence of probable PCV than non-Hispanic White individuals (9.6% vs 28.2%, P = .006) CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that probable PCV occurs between 17.6% and 29.9% in White individuals with nAMD, and more commonly in non-Hispanic than in Hispanic White individuals. (C) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Automated summary

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of probable polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among white patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using non-indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) criteria. The results showed that the prevalence of probable PCV was 23.4% in white individuals with nAMD, and it was more commonly found in non-Hispanic white individuals.