Seventeen cases of central serous chorioretinopathy associated with systemic corticosteroid therapy

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the relationship between the clinical characteristics of patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and systemic corticosteroid therapy.

Methods: The medical records of 17 cases of CSC that developed during systemic corticosteroid treatment from 1987 to 1999 at Chiba University Hospital were reviewed. The relationship of CSC to the age, gender, laterality, and disease requiring the corticosteroid treatment, and the dose and duration of corticosteroid therapy were examined.

Results: There were 6 men and 11 women, and 2 of these developed bilateral and 15 developed unilateral CSC. The duration from the beginning of corticosteroid treatment to the onset of CSC ranged from 3 days to 23 years; 9 patients developed CSC within 1 year after the beginning of the corticosteroid medication and 6 patients after more than 8 years. The amount of corticosteroid medication at the onset of CSC ranged from 5 to 1,000 mg/day equivalent prednisolone units. There was a significant correlation between age at the onset of CSC and the daily dosage of corticosteroid.

Conclusion: Even small amounts of daily corticosteroids (5-10 mg/day) can cause CSC, especially in elderly patients. These findings indicate that we need to monitor patients undergoing corticosteroid treatment carefully.