FUNCTIONAL AND ANATOMICAL OUTCOMES OF CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION COMPLICATING BEST1-RELATED RETINOPATHY

To describe the presenting features and functional outcomes in a series of patients with choroidal neovascular membrane complicating BEST1-related retinopathy (Best disease and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy).

Retrospective review of consecutive cases at a tertiary care eye hospital. Patients were identified retrospectively over an 11-year period. Records were reviewed to extract demographic as well as functional and anatomical outcome data.

Fourteen eyes of 12 patients were identified (11 Best disease and 1 autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy). Median follow-up was 2.8 years (range 0.8-6). The median age at choroidal neovascular membrane discovery was 15.5 years (range 6-72). Choroidal neovascular membranes were active early in the disease course before vitelliruption. Seven eyes were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab, 7 eyes were monitored by observation alone. On average, patients required a single treatment (median = 1, range 1-10). The median gain in visual acuity was greater in the treated versus the observed group-0.46 versus 0.17 decimalized units of Snellen acuity, respectively (P < 0.05 Mann-Whitney U test). Although a significant reduction in central macular thickness was evident in both groups, 150 μm (treated) and 104 μm (observed), active treatment was not associated with greater thinning than observation (P > 0.05 Mann-Whitney U test).

There is a high rate of spontaneous recovery of BEST1-related choroidal neovascular membrane, and overall the authors observed a gain in visual acuity associated with a reduction in central macular thickness. Active treatment, here with intravitreal bevacizumab, is associated with better functional outcomes than observation alone.