Frosted Branch Angiitis

Abstract

Frosted branch angiitis is a rare form of retinal vasculitis which includes widespread florid translucent perivascular exudate, resembling the appearance of frost on a tree branch. Frosted branch angiitis (FBA) is a rare form of retinal vasculitis, about 60 cases having been reported in the world literature. It was first reported in Japan by Ito in 1976 and the great majority of subsequent cases have been Japanese; the first cases in the USA were reported in 1988 and it was not until 1993 that any cases were reported outside these two countries, the first European cases being reported from Spain as recently as 2002. The widening scope of these reports over a number of years suggests that FBA may be a new clinical entity. Frosted branch angiitis tends to affect children or young adults most commonly, the youngest affected patient being 2 years old and the oldest, 42 years. Males appear to be more commonly affected (61 % male: 39 % female).