Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview

Purpose: Primary inflammatory choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs) belong to a group of intraocular inflammatory diseases with the common characteristic of inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion as the main clinicopathological mechanism. The purpose of our article is to describe clinical ch...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ioannis Papasavvas, Carl P. Herbort
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-01-01
Series:Medicina
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/2/165
_version_ 1797478303157714944
author Ioannis Papasavvas
Carl P. Herbort
author_facet Ioannis Papasavvas
Carl P. Herbort
author_sort Ioannis Papasavvas
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: Primary inflammatory choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs) belong to a group of intraocular inflammatory diseases with the common characteristic of inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion as the main clinicopathological mechanism. The purpose of our article is to describe clinical characteristics and multimodal imaging, that can help the diagnosis and treatment of PICCPs. Methods: Narrative review with multimodal imaging analysis. Results: Choriocapillaris non-perfusion can affect the end-choriocappilaries, at the benign end of the PICCP spectrum (MEWDS), to larger choriocapillaris vessels or precapillary vessels at the origin of more severe forms such as acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE), idiopathic multifocal choroiditis (MFC) and Serpiginous Choroiditis (SC). Diagnosis is mostly based on multimodal imaging and especially on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)/OCT-angiography (OCT-A). ICGA shows the typical pattern of patchy lobular hypofluorescence reflecting hypo- or non-perfusion of the choriocapillaris that can also take the aspect of geographic areas in the more severe forms. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and goes from observation in MEWDS and some mild cases of APMPPE, to oral corticosteroid and/or immunomodulator agents in the more severe conditions of APMPPE and MFC and SC cases. Close multimodal monitoring is crucial in order to introduce or adjust treatment. Conclusion: PICCPs are resulting from one common clinicopathological mechanism, inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion. ICGA findings are essential for the diagnosis and follow-up of PICCPs, but non-invasive methods such as FAF and SD-OCT/OCT-A also have their role especially in follow-up of the diseases. Treatment should be individualized according to the pathology and the evolution of lesions.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T21:30:03Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f6fd9c92c4684abfbca2c1e3c08da2f9
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1010-660X
1648-9144
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T21:30:03Z
publishDate 2022-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Medicina
spelling doaj.art-f6fd9c92c4684abfbca2c1e3c08da2f92023-11-23T20:58:59ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442022-01-0158216510.3390/medicina58020165Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive OverviewIoannis Papasavvas0Carl P. Herbort1Retinal and Inflammatory Eye Diseases, Centre for Ophthalmic Specialized Care (COS), 1003 Lausanne, SwitzerlandRetinal and Inflammatory Eye Diseases, Centre for Ophthalmic Specialized Care (COS), 1003 Lausanne, SwitzerlandPurpose: Primary inflammatory choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs) belong to a group of intraocular inflammatory diseases with the common characteristic of inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion as the main clinicopathological mechanism. The purpose of our article is to describe clinical characteristics and multimodal imaging, that can help the diagnosis and treatment of PICCPs. Methods: Narrative review with multimodal imaging analysis. Results: Choriocapillaris non-perfusion can affect the end-choriocappilaries, at the benign end of the PICCP spectrum (MEWDS), to larger choriocapillaris vessels or precapillary vessels at the origin of more severe forms such as acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy (APMPPE), idiopathic multifocal choroiditis (MFC) and Serpiginous Choroiditis (SC). Diagnosis is mostly based on multimodal imaging and especially on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)/OCT-angiography (OCT-A). ICGA shows the typical pattern of patchy lobular hypofluorescence reflecting hypo- or non-perfusion of the choriocapillaris that can also take the aspect of geographic areas in the more severe forms. Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and goes from observation in MEWDS and some mild cases of APMPPE, to oral corticosteroid and/or immunomodulator agents in the more severe conditions of APMPPE and MFC and SC cases. Close multimodal monitoring is crucial in order to introduce or adjust treatment. Conclusion: PICCPs are resulting from one common clinicopathological mechanism, inflammatory choriocapillaris hypo- or non-perfusion. ICGA findings are essential for the diagnosis and follow-up of PICCPs, but non-invasive methods such as FAF and SD-OCT/OCT-A also have their role especially in follow-up of the diseases. Treatment should be individualized according to the pathology and the evolution of lesions.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/2/165PICPPSMEWDSAPMPPEMFCSCICGA
spellingShingle Ioannis Papasavvas
Carl P. Herbort
Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
Medicina
PICPPS
MEWDS
APMPPE
MFC
SC
ICGA
title Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
title_full Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
title_fullStr Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
title_full_unstemmed Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
title_short Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Inflammatory Choriocapillaropathies (PICCPs): A Comprehensive Overview
title_sort diagnosis and treatment of primary inflammatory choriocapillaropathies piccps a comprehensive overview
topic PICPPS
MEWDS
APMPPE
MFC
SC
ICGA
url https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/58/2/165
work_keys_str_mv AT ioannispapasavvas diagnosisandtreatmentofprimaryinflammatorychoriocapillaropathiespiccpsacomprehensiveoverview
AT carlpherbort diagnosisandtreatmentofprimaryinflammatorychoriocapillaropathiespiccpsacomprehensiveoverview