Polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy features among Filipino eyes with neovascular AMD: application of the Asia Pacific Ocular Smaging Society non-ICGA criteria.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of eyes with optical coherence tomography (OCT) features of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among patients diagnosed as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) based on Asia-Pacific Ocular Imaging Society (APOIS) Diagnostic Criteria.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective cross-sectional review of OCT images. Medical records of treatment-naïve nAMD patients between January 2018 and June 2023 were reviewed. Clinical and demographic profile at presentation was collected. OCT scans were reviewed for presence of APOIS Diagnostic Criteria. Eyes were classified as having PCV features (PCV) based on the presence of ≥ 2 major OCT APOIS diagnostic criteria and then compared with eyes not having these features (non-PCV).

RESULTS

OCT scans of 45 eyes of 38 patients diagnosed with nAMD were analyzed. Mean age was 69.4 years old (range 53-83), 71.1% of patients were female, and 81.6% had unilateral disease. There was no statistically significant difference among clinical and demographic characteristics between PCV and non-PCV groups. Twenty-four eyes (53.3%) had ≥ 2 major APOIS criteria for PCV. Among PCV eyes, sub-RPE ring-like lesion and double-layer sign were the most common major (87.5%) and minor OCT criteria (100%), respectively. Sharp-peaked PED (p < 0.001), sub-RPE ring-like lesion (p < 0.001), en face OCT complex RPE elevation (p = 0.005) and double-layer sign criteria (p = 0.007) were more frequent in the PCV than in the non-PCV group.

CONCLUSION

More than half of Filipino eyes diagnosed with nAMD fulfill the OCT criteria for PCV. The APOIS PCV Workgroup Criteria helps identify patients who will benefit from additional confirmatory and treatment options.