title: Assessment of visual function in patients with gyrate atrophy who are considered candidates for gene replacement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the course of change of visual function outcome variables in 5 patients with gyrate atrophy before a gene replacement therapy clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome variables selected were visual field sensitivity and electroretinogram amplitude. The course of change of these outcome variables was determined by calculation of their half-lives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 4 to 6 years during which each patient was followed up for this study, median visual field half-lives were 17.0 years (static perimetry) and 11.4 years (kinetic perimetry). Median electroretinogram half-lives were 16.0 years (maximal response) and 10.7 years (flicker response).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The course of the decline of visual function outcome variables is frequently slow. Thus, a long-term clinical trial would be required to assess the efficacy of the intervention in the preservation of visual function.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1860, USA. rccaruso@helix.nih.gov
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Nussenblatt
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Csaky
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Kaiser-Kupfer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004596:Electroretinography; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D015799:Gyrate Atrophy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*