[HTLV-I associated retinochoroidal degeneration]

A review of 100 patients with HTLV-I (human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I) associated myelopathy revealed 9 cases (9.0%) of retinochoroidal degeneration. Most of the cases developed the ocular disease at age 50 or older, either preceded or followed by neurologic disease. Ophthalmoscopic abnormalities included classic retinitis pigmentosa and localized degenerative changes of the retina and choroid, with visual disturbance corresponding to the severity of retinal changes. None of the cases showed any contributory family history. In reference to the prevalence of retinitis pigmentosa, these cases were thought to indicate a meaningful rather than coincident association between HTLV-I associated myelopathy and retinochoroidal degeneration. Hence, HTLV-I may involve the underlying etiology of a newly defined disease called HTLV-I associated retinochoroidal degeneration. On the other hand, since HTLV-I seroprevalence in patients with isolated retinitis pigmentosa was comparable with that in the general population, it appears unlikely that the retrovirus may also involve an isolated form of retinochoroidal degenerative disease.