Purpose: This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate whether usage of corticosteroids was associated with an increased risk of central serous chorioretinopathy by summarizing all available evidence.
Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for all relevant studies published from inception to April 2019. Studies investigating the association between corticosteroids and the risk of central serous chorioretinopathy were included.
Results: Six case-control studies were finally included for the meta-analysis after study selection. The results of the analysis showed that there was a significantly higher risk of central serous chorioretinopathy among patients who once used corticosteroids (N = 707) compared with individuals without the usage of corticosteroids (N = 1927) (OR 4.050, 95% CI 2.270 to 7.220, I2 = 59%, P < 0.001). Results were the same for taking corticosteroids orally (OR 1.650, 95% CI 1.510 to 1.810, I2 = 47%, P < 0.001), through injection (OR 1.660, 95% CI 1.440 to 1.910, I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), and through nasal spray (OR 1.910, 95% CI 1.500 to 2.420, I2 = 17%, P < 0.001), but not for inhaled usage (OR 1.340, 95% CI 0.900 to 1.990, I2 = 0%, P = 0.160).
Conclusions: In conclusion, this meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with the usage of corticosteroids had an increased risk of central serous chorioretinopathy. Patients who were prescribed with corticosteroids need greater attention to their retina health. Also, all central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) patients should avoid the use of corticosteroids as much as they possibly can.
Keywords: Central serous chorioretinopathy; Corticosteroids; Meta-analysis; Retinal disorder.