Choroidal degeneration in birdshot chorioretinopathy
Mei Young1, Nader Fallah, Farzin Forooghian
1*Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and †Rick Hansen Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Purpose:
The purpose of the study was to determine if progressive choroidal changes occur in birdshot chorioretinopathy (BSCR).
Methods:
Retrospective chart review of all patients with BSCR who were seen over a 3-year period. Controls consisted of healthy age-matched and gender-matched patients. Choroidal thickness at baseline and final follow-up visit was measured with the use of optical coherence tomography. Results were analyzed using univariate and multivariable statistical models.
Results:
A total of 11 patients (22 eyes) with BSCR were identified. The majority of BSCR eyes (86%) had clinically inactive disease. Follow-up ranged from 2 months to 27 months. Mean age was 55 years. Patients with BSCR had significantly thinner choroid compared with controls (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the rate of choroid thinning for patients diagnosed with BSCR (2.68 μm per month) was significantly higher than that of controls (0.27 μm per month) (P = 0.003). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of choroidal thinning between the two eyes of patients with BSCR (P = 0.859), indicating that the choroidal thinning was symmetrical.
Conclusion:
Despite having clinically inactive uveitis, eyes with BSCR can develop progressive choroidal thinning. The clinical relevance of this choroidal thinning, or degeneration, remains to be fully elucidated.
