Radiation exposure: a new risk factor for idiopathic perifoveal telangiectasis

Objective

To examine the association between previous radiation exposure and idiopathic perifoveal telangiectasis (IPT).

Design

A multicentered, individually matched, case-control study design was used.

Participants/controls

Sixty-five case subjects were matched with 175 control subjects. Individuals with unequivocal evidence of angiographically confirmed IPT were included as cases. Control subjects were matched for center, age, and gender.

Main outcome measure

The main exposures of interest were a history of therapeutic head or neck irradiation and environmental radiation exposure.

Methods

A standardized questionnaire was administered to case and control subjects. Data were collected for the main exposures of interest as well as pertinent covariates. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate therapeutic and environmental radiation as risks for IPT.

Results

On univariate analysis, head or neck irradiation was associated with IPT (odds ratios [OR] = 4.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30–13.24). While controlling for diabetes and family history of diabetes, IPT was found to be associated with both head or neck irradiation (OR = 4.06, 95% CI = 1.20–13.76) and with environmental irradiation (OR = 6.73, 95% CI = 1.06–42.74).

Conclusions

This study presents a previously unreported association between prior radiation exposure and IPT.