Daclizumab for treatment of birdshot chorioretinopathy

To report the outcomes for daclizumab in the treatment of birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR) refractory to traditional immunomodulatory therapy (IMT).

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 8 patients with BSCR whose disease was refractory to or who were intolerant of traditional IMT. All patients received 1 mg/kg of daclizumab intravenously at 2-week intervals initially at 1 referral uveitis practice. Main outcome measures were changes in visual acuity, vitreous inflammation, fluorescein angiographic pathologic features, electroretinography (ERG) parameters, concomitant IMT requirements, and adverse events.

Over a mean follow-up of 25.6 months, 7 patients had either stabilization or improvement in visual acuity of both eyes and complete resolution of vitreous inflammation. Six patients had resolution of vasculitis on fluorescein angiography. The ERG 30-Hz implicit times and the bright scotopic amplitudes worsened in some patients despite abolition of clinically evident inflammation. Four patients were able to discontinue all other IMT and remain inflammation free while receiving only daclizumab treatment. Two patients developed adverse effects that led to daclizumab treatment discontinuation.

Daclizumab therapy was effective in stabilizing vision and decreasing inflammation in most patients with BSCR. The ERG parameters continued to decline in some patients despite adequate inflammatory control. Regular serologic monitoring is critical to detect adverse events.