Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41663672›Full record

ArticleEye (London, England)2026

Beyond placoid: diverse clinical presentations and functional outcomes of acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinopathy.

Lorenzo Bianco, Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, Alessandro Marchese, Leonardo Bottazzi, Adelaide Pina, Matteo Menean, Aurelio Apuzzo, Giulio Modorati, Francesco Bandello, Elisabetta Miserocchi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Eye (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Lorenzo BiancoSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4023-5387
Maria Vittoria CicinelliSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. cicinelli.mariavittoria@hsr.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2938-0409
Alessandro MarcheseDepartment of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
Leonardo BottazziSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Adelaide PinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
Matteo MeneanSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8512-2450
Aurelio ApuzzoSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Giulio ModoratiSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Francesco BandelloSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3238-9682
Elisabetta MiserocchiSchool of Medicine, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAcute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinopathy (ASPPC) is traditionally viewed as a uniform presentation of syphilitic posterior uveitis, though recent evidence suggests broader phenotypic variability. This study aimed to characterise ASPPC heterogeneity using multimodal imaging (MMI).

methodsSingle-centre retrospective cohort study on patients presenting with syphilitic posterior uveitis or panuveitis. MMI included fundus autofluorescence (FAF), fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Cases were classified as typical ASPPC when a unifocal, well-demarcated placoid lesion was present at the posterior pole, and as atypical when multifocal lesions were funduscopically occult but evident on FAF. Macular sensitivity recovery post-antibiotic treatment was evaluated in a subset of cases using microperimetry.

resultsAmong 33 eyes from 21 patients (median age: 51 years, 91% male), 55% had typical ASPPC and 45% an atypical presentation. HIV co-infection was found only in patients with a typical placoid lesion (42%). Both phenotypes consistently demonstrated hyperautofluorescent lesions on FAF, which corresponded to late-phase hypofluorescence on ICGA and ellipsoid zone disruption on OCT. Atypical cases showed a higher prevalence of vitritis (53% vs. 44%, P < 0.001), uveitic macular oedema (27% vs. 0%), and peripheral vascular leakage (73% vs. 28%, P = 0.004). Macular sensitivity improved by a mean of 1.7 dB/month (P = 0.005), with no significant difference observed between typical and atypical presentations.

conclusionThis study broadens the clinical spectrum of ASPPC by characterising atypical funduscopically occult presentations. Despite phenotypic differences, all cases share identical MMI features, although atypical forms may exhibit more pronounced posterior segment inflammation.

Indexed as

ChorioretinitisEye Infections, BacterialSyphilisUveitis, PosteriorAcute DiseaseAdultAgedAnti-Bacterial AgentsColoring AgentsFemaleFluorescein AngiographyHumansIndocyanine GreenMaleMiddle AgedMultimodal ImagingAnti-Bacterial AgentsColoring AgentsIndocyanine Green

Identifiers

PMID41663672
PMCPMC13062137

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.