title: Birdshot retinochoroidopathy: ocular complications and visual impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the incidence of vision loss and of ocular complications attributable to birdshot retinochoroidopathy and to describe the association between therapy and the incidence thereof.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-center, academic practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with birdshot retinochoroidopathy were evaluated from January 1984 through March 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and clinical information on patients diagnosed with birdshot retinochoroidopathy was collected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual acuity and visual field loss; ocular complications including cystoid macular edema (CME).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In affected eyes, the frequencies of vision loss to 20/50 or worse and to 20/200 or worse and of CME at presentation were 33%, 13%, and 20%, respectively. Patients who presented with a duration of disease of > or = 30 months had higher frequencies of visual impairment to 20/50 or worse (68% vs 32%; P = .004) and to 20/200 or worse (32% vs 9%; P = .01), and had a higher frequency of CME (38% vs 14%; P = .02) than patients who presented with a duration of disease <30 months. The incidence rates on follow-up for vision loss to 20/50 or worse and to 20/200 or worse were 13% and 4% per eye-year (EY), respectively. The incidence of CME was 10%/EY. Use of immunosuppressive drug therapy was associated with a reduced risk of developing CME (relative risk = 0.17; 95% confidence interval: 0.05, 0.64; P = .009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Birdshot retinochoroidopathy is a progressive disease with the potential for visual impairment. Patients who present at a later date after the onset of disease were more likely to have vision impairment and CME. Use of long-term immunosuppressive therapy may reduce the risk of CME.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA. jthorne@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Thorne
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Jabs
authors.forename: George B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hair
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kempen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015994:Incidence; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015866:Uveitis, Posterior / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents