Temporal and Spatial Correlation Between Choroidal Thickness and Visual Function in a Case of POEMS Syndrome

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To report the correlation between visual function and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SChT) in a case of POEMS syndrome.

Case report: A 53 year old man diagnosed with POEMS syndrome was referred due to blurred vision. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.5 in his right eye (RE) and 0.7 in his left eye (LE), with a mild perimetric defect in the RE. SChT was 356 and 263 µm in his RE and LE. After an autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation, both visual and systemic symptoms improved. At the most recent visit, SChT was 284 and 222 µm in his RE and LE, BCVA was 1.2 in both eyes and the perimetric defects had improved.

Conclusions: SChT was inversely correlated with visual function in space and time. Due to the high sensitivity of choroidal tissue to vascular endothelial growth factor, SChT might be useful to monitor disease activity in POEMS.

Keywords:

• Choroidal thickness
• disc swelling
• multiple myeloma
• optic coherence tomography
• POEMS syndrome
• vascular endothelial growth factor
• VEGF

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.