Progression of Peripapillary and Macular Chorioretinal Atrophy in Multifocal Choroiditis Is Associated with Periatrophic Inflammatory Plumes.

PURPOSE: To investigate peripapillary atrophy and macular chorioretinal scars in eyes affected by multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis (MCP).

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study reviewed the medical records, fundus photographs, and SD-OCT scans of 31 eyes from 19 patients.

RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 45 years (range 24-69 years). The average follow-up duration was 7 years (range 2.5-14.5 years), with 14 patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. In the group of 31 eyes, 20 showed peripapillary plumes of ill-defined hyperreflectivity at the termination border of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). These plumes, extending from bare Bruch's membrane to the outer nuclear layer, sometimes undermined the adjacent RPE. They responded to corticosteroid treatment and resembled the material under the RPE in acute lesions. Among 20 eyes with these peripapillary inflammatory lesions, 16 (80%) experienced increased atrophy, in contrast to none in the eyes without these lesions (P<0.001). Similar patterns were observed at the edges of macular chorioretinal atrophy. This observation occurred in patients using immunosuppressive medication who were otherwise thought to be under adequate control.

CONCLUSION: In MCP patients, previously unrecognized plumes of smoldering inflammatory activity at the borders of chorioretinal atrophy appears to be linked to atrophy expansion. The recognition of this phenomenon may require a reappraisal of treatment of multifocal choroidopathies to help mitigate expansion of atrophy in these eyes.