Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42047283›Full record

SynthesisActa ophthalmologica2026

Adult-onset Coats disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of imaging biomarkers and targeted therapies.

Catarina Francisco, Nisa Silva, Camiel J F Boon

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Acta ophthalmologica, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

3 authors.

Catarina FranciscoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Unidade Local de Saúde de Matosinhos, Matosinhos, Portugal.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3152-542X
Nisa SilvaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Unidade Local de Saúde de Matosinhos, Matosinhos, Portugal.
Camiel J F BoonDepartment of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6737-7932

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Coats disease diagnosed in adulthood is a rare idiopathic retinal telangiectatic vasculopathy that may differ in phenotype from childhood-diagnosed cases. This systematic review synthesizes current evidence to characterize its clinical spectrum, imaging features, treatment outcomes and underlying mechanisms, with a focus on immunovascular pathways. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched through October 2025 for studies including patients ≥18 years with confirmed Coats disease. Clinical and imaging findings, treatment strategies and outcomes were extracted and narratively synthesized. When possible, random-effects meta-analysis was performed. Thirty-five studies comprising 240 patients (250 eyes) were included. Disease presentation was predominantly unilateral and diagnosed at Shields Stage 2 or 3. Laser photocoagulation and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents were the most frequently described therapies, with anatomical stabilization or regression of exudation reported in approximately half of treated eyes across heterogeneous studies, and better outcomes in earlier stages. Visual acuity was stabilized or improved in 57.1% of treated eyes, while recurrence occurred in 19.3%. Multimodal imaging consistently identified peripheral telangiectasia, lipid exudation and localized capillary nonperfusion. Aqueous cytokine profiling in small cohorts has reported elevated inflammatory mediators (e.g. interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-1β) in some adults, suggesting that inflammatory signalling may contribute to blood-retina barrier dysfunction and macular oedema alongside VEGF-related permeability. Current evidence supports Coats disease diagnosed in adulthood as a chronic telangiectatic retinal vasculopathy with frequent macular involvement. Therapeutic outcomes appear to favour individualized, imaging-guided combination strategies and prospective studies with standardized endpoints are needed to refine management.

Indexed as

Angiogenesis InhibitorsBiomarkersFluorescein AngiographyLaser CoagulationMolecular Targeted TherapyRetinal TelangiectasisRetinal VesselsAdultHumansVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVisual AcuityAngiogenesis InhibitorsBiomarkersVascular Endothelial Growth Factor ACoats diseaseexudative retinopathypersonalized retinal therapyretinal telangiectasia

Identifiers

PMID42047283

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.