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Show Central Serous Chorioretinopathy in Susac Syndrome Ozgur Artunay, MD, Alper Sengul, MD, Eda Sonmezay, MD, Emil Gaffarli, MD, Cigdem Kalaycik Ertugay, MD Abstract: We report central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) in a patient with Susac syndrome. The diagnosis of Susac syndrome was based on the results of funduscopy, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and audiometric testing. Our case demonstrates that possible choroidal involvement in Susac syndrome may lead to the development of CSC. Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology 2015;35:182-184 doi: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000000233 © 2015 by North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society Susac syndrome is a rare autoimmune endotheliopathy with predilection for brain, retina, and cochlea (1). A presumed autoimmune vasculitic mechanism has been pro-posed, resulting in microangiopathy affecting the arterioles of the brain, retina, and cochlea (1-4). The syndrome usu-ally affects women in the second decade of life, with female to male ratio being 3:1 (3,4). To date, approximately 80 cases have been reported. Patients typically present with low-frequency hearing loss were detected with audiometry. Headaches are frequently present in addition to tinnitus and often some degree of paranoia (1-4). Partial vision loss is caused by branch retinal artery vasculitis and occlusions (5,6). Abnormalities on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) always show corpus callosum involvement. The mainstay of treatment is systemic corticosteroids and immu-nosuppressive medications (6-8). Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is characterized by a serous macular detachment due to a focal disruption in the outer blood-retinal barrier and increased choroidal permeabil-ity (9). Although the pathoetiology of CSC is unknown, it is associated with states of hypercortisolism, such as Cushing syndrome, pregnancy, and systemic glucocorticoid therapy. We report a patient with Susac syndrome who developed CSC. CASE REPORT A 32-year-old woman reported a 1-week history of blurred vision and metamorphopsia in her left eye. For the past 3 weeks, she had experienced decreased hearing with tinnitus and migraine with aura and complained of an unsteady gait, intermittent paresthesias of the face and lower extremities, emotional lability, and forgetfulness. She was previously healthy and had no remarkable medical history other than cold hands and intermittent hypotension. She had never used topical or systemic corticosteroids. Visual acuity was 20/20, right eye and 20/40 left eye. The anterior segments of both eyes were unremarkable. Fundus examination revealed bilateral multiple peripheral retinal arteriolar occlusions and serous elevation of the left macula. The sites of retinal arterial occlusion were not localized at arterial bifurcation. Fluorescein angiography demonstrated bilateral peripheral arteriolar wall hyperfluor-escence distant to areas of arteriolar segmental occlusion (Fig. 1). In the left eye, there was focal dye leakage near the fovea with a neurosensory retinal detachment (Fig. 2). This was confirmed by optical coherence tomography (Fig. 3). Neurological examination revealed an ataxic gait and cognitive dysfunction with memory loss. Brain MRI dis-closed periventricular white matter lesions and punctuate hyperintense foci within the corpus callosum (Fig. 4). Audio-metric evaluation revealed bilateral asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss more pronounced for lower frequencies. The patient was treated with cyclophosphamide and intravenous immunoglobulin. Steroids were not prescribed because of the presence of CSC. The patient improved dramatically with resolution of her neurologic findings except for a mild hearing deficit. In addition, CSC resolved and fluorescein angiography became normal. Treatment was stopped after 6 months. Department of Ophthalmology (OA, ES, EG), Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Ophthalmology (AS), Istanbul Bilim University, Istanbul, Turkey; and Department of Otolaryngology (CKE), Baskent University, Istanbul, Turkey. The authors report no conflicts of interest. Address correspondence to Ozgur Artunay, MD, Bezmiâlem Vakif Üniversitesi, Adnan Menderes Bulvari Vatan Caddesi Bezmiâlem Vakif Üniversitesi Kampüsü, Pk: 34093 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey; E-mail: artunay@gmail.com 182 Artunay et al: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2015; 35: 182-184 Clinical Observation Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. DISCUSSION Although the pathophysiology of Susac syndrome is unknown, it is believed to be an immune disorder leading to microangiopathy of the precapillary arterioles of the brain, retina, and inner ear (1-5). Brain biopsies have revealed wall sclerosis of small arteries and multifocal microinfarcts with perivascular inflammatory infiltrates of cerebral arteriolar branches (5-8). Two funduscopic findings in patients with Susac syndrome, Gass plaques and arteriolar wall hyperfluorescence, also point to the endothelium as the site of autoimmune injury (5). Fluorescein angiography may reveal arteriolar wall hyper-fluorescence distant from affected vessels seen on opthal-moscopy. This finding has not been demonstrated in other retinal vasculitides. Hyperfluorescence of the retinal arteriolar walls may be found both proximally to the site of occlusion but also in areas remote from occluded arte-rioles (3,5,6,10). Although there is no histological evidence of choroidal involvement in Susac syndrome, choroidal endotheliop-athy could be present in some patients with this disorder (10). Flammer et al (11,12) postulated that the Susac syndrome is a manifestation of primary vascular dysregu-lation syndrome (PVDS; formerly vasospastic syndrome), and vascular dysregulation is at least one possible cause of Susac syndrome. The majority of patients with PVDS are female, often have low blood pressure and suffer from cold hands that rarely turn white. The ocular vasospastic syndrome denotes eye involvement in this disorder. Vas-cular dysregulation can be primary or secondary to an FIG. 1. Fundus fluorescein angiography, right eye. A. There is arteriolar wall hypofluorescence likely related to segmental vascular occlusion (arrow). B. Peripheral arteriolar wall hyperfluoresence (arrow) is seen distant from other affected vessels (arrowhead). FIG. 2. Fundus fluorescein angiography, left eye. A. Arteriolar wall hyperfluorescense (arrow) is present in the peripheral retina. B. There is a focal area of dye leakage in the left macula causing a neurosensory retinal detachment. FIG. 3. Optical coherence tomography confirms subretinal fluid in the left macula. Artunay et al: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2015; 35: 182-184 183 Clinical Observation Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. autoimmune disease. Disorders of many organ systems, particularly the eye, occur with increased frequency in PVDS individuals. These include silent myocardial infarction, altitude sickness, migraine, normal-tension glaucoma, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal artery, and vein occlusions, Susac syndrome and CSC (11-13). Abnormalities in the choroidal circulation and retinal pigment epithelium have been hypothesized to cause CSC (9,13,14). We propose that the endotheliopathy in Susac syndrome may alter choroidal vascular permeability as seen in our patient. This resulted in accumulation of submacular fluid. We are unaware of previous reports of CSC associated with Susac syndrome. REFERENCES 1. 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Am J Ophthalmol. 1996;121:26-34. 14. Artunay O, Senel A, Sengul A, Rasier R, Bahcecioglu H. Central serous chorioretinopathy associated with topical latanoprost therapy. Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2011;19:453-455. FIG. 4. T2 sagittal magnetic resonance imaging shows hyperintense foci (arrows) within the corpus callosum. 184 Artunay et al: J Neuro-Ophthalmol 2015; 35: 182-184 Clinical Observation Copyright © North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. |
