Systemic complement activation in central serous chorioretinopathy

Purpose A clear link between several variants in genes involved in the complement system and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) has been described. In age-related macular degeneration, a disease that shows clinical features that overlap with CSC, both genetic risk factors and systemic activation of the complement system have previously been found. In this case-control study, we assessed whether there is evidence of either systemic activation or inhibition of the complement system in patients with chronic CSC. Methods A prospective case-control study of 76 typical chronic CSC patients and 29 controls without ophthalmological history was conducted. Complement activity assays (classical, alternative, and mannose-binding lectin pathway), complement factors 3, 4, 4A, 4B, B, D, H, I, and P, activation products C3d, C5a, and sC5b-C9, and the C3d/C3 ratio were analysed in either serum or plasma. A correction for possible effects of gender, age, body mass index, and smoking status was performed. Results In this study, none of the tested variables, including regulation and activation products, proved to be significantly different between the groups. Moreover, no associations with either CSC disease activity or possible CSC related steroid use were observed. Conclusion Despite the available literature regarding a possible relationship between chronic CSC and variants in genes involved in the complement system, we did not find evidence of an association of chronic CSC with either systemic complement activation or inhibition.