Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in comparison to controls, have increased levels of circulating epinephrine and
norepinephrine, both of which are risk factors for the development of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). The aim of
this pilot study was to investigate the frequency of symptoms that suggest OSA in CSCR patients and normal controls. The Berlin
Questionnaire, a validated research tool to assess risk for OSA, was administered to 29 patients who met the criteria for
active, acute, non-steroid-induced CSCR and 29 controls matched for age and sex. In this retrospective case-controlled study,
the main outcome measure was increased risk for OSA. The mean age of the patients was 47.8 years (range 29–72) and the mean
age of controls was 47.3 years (range 25–70). Seventy-six percent (22) of both groups were men. Survey scores showed 58.6%
(17) of patients with CSCR to be at an increased risk for OSA compared to 31.0% (nine) of controls. A conditional logistic
regression analysis showed that the CSCR group had a higher proportion with an increased risk for OSA compared to the control
group (odds ratio=3.67; 95% CI: 1.02, 13.14;
P = 0.046). Patients with CSCR may be more likely than other adults to have OSA, and screening for this sleep disorder should
be considered in this population. Further research is warranted to determine whether sleep apnea may contribute to the development
of CSCR, and to assess whether treatment of sleep apnea might offer a new therapeutic option for some patients with CSCR.
Keywords Central serous chorioretinopathy - Obstructive sleep apnea