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Published on: January 16, 2019
PDE6A-Associated Retinitis Pigmentosa, Clinical Characteristics, Genetics, and Natural History
Shaima Awadh Hashem1, Michalis Georgiou2, Genevieve Wright1
1Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Purpose:
To analyze the genetics, clinical characteristics, and natural history of PDE6A-associated retinitis pigmentosa.
Design:
Retrospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study.
Participants:
Patients with molecularly confirmed PDE6A-associated retinal dystrophy in a single tertiary referral center.
Methods:
Review of medical records and retinal imaging, including fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging and spectral-domain OCT. Genetic results were reviewed, and the detected variants were assessed.
Main Outcome Measures:
Molecular genetic testing, clinical findings including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), qualitative and quantitative retinal imaging analysis.
Results:
Sixteen patients (32 eyes) were identified and evaluated longitudinally. Genetic analysis identified 14 variants in the PDE6A gene, including 8 novel variants. The mean age (± standard deviation, range) was 34.8 years (± 17.4, 12-76) at baseline, with a mean follow-up time of 4.8 years. Best-corrected visual acuity was 0.45 ± 0.45 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (range 0.0-1.6) at baseline and 0.65 ± 0.7 logMAR (range 0.0-2.3) at the last visit. Best-corrected visual acuity was similar among eyes in 88% of patients. A hyperautofluorescent ring was observed on FAF in 50% and 43.8% of the eyes at baseline and follow-up visit, respectively, with a mean area of 9.7 ± 4.5 mm2 at baseline and mean of 8.6 ± 4.8 mm2 at the follow-up visit. Mean horizontal ellipsoid zone width (EZW) at baseline was 1765 ± 1093 μm, which decreased to 1580 ± 1077 μm at follow-up. Eighteen eyes exhibited cystoid macular edema at baseline (56%), and 17 eyes (53%) at follow-up. There were statistically significant changes during the follow-up period in terms of BCVA, hyperautofluorescent ring area, and the EZW.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the natural history of PDE6A-retinopathy. Most patients in this cohort had mild BCVA loss, and slowly progressive disease, based on FAF and OCT measurements.
Financial Disclosure(S):
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
