The authors report a retrospective records review of all patients who received an oral ultrawide fluorescein angiography (FA) over a 42-month period at a single children’s hospital. Data were extracted from the records including indication for FA, adverse events, pauses in testing required, guideline adherence / deviation, and utility of images for clinical decision making. The authors outline the exact protocol used for administration of oral fluorescein and image capture. The records search found 55 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 55% were female and the mean age was 12 years. A total of 79 FA examinations were available for review. The most common reasons for the FA assessment were uveitis followed by retinal vasculopathy. The authors present example cases of different diagnoses found in their cohort. It is reported that the majority of children were able to tolerate the oral fluorescein and photography, with 22% having some difficulty. With the exception of one patient, the images were of sufficient quality to inform clinical decisions. A small number of adverse events were recorded from four examinations and included mild nausea, dizziness and urticaria. The authors report the sample size is too small to make a definitive decision on safety. However, the results of this study suggest that oral FA is well tolerated and useful for the assessment of retinal and vascular ophthalmic conditions.
Use of oral fluorescein angiography in a paediatric population
Reviewed by Lauren Hepworth
Pediatric oral fluorescein angiography: a retrospective review from a single institution.
CONTRIBUTOR
Lauren R Hepworth
University of Liverpool; Honorary Stroke Specialist Clinical Orthoptist, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust; St Helen’s and Knowsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
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