Pars planitis: clinical features and class II HLA associations.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To describe a cohort of patients with pars planitis followed at a single tertiary care institution, determine the frequency of multiple sclerosis and/or optic neuritis in patients with this disorder, and calculate gene frequencies of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles in these patients.

DESIGN:

Fifty-three patients with the diagnosis of pars planitis underwent clinical record review or telephone interview for follow-up or both; 32 of these underwent phlebotomy for analysis of HLA class II alleles.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Outcomes included visual acuity, occurrence of multiple sclerosis and/or optic neuritis, and HLA class II gene frequencies.

RESULTS:

With a mean follow-up of 2 years, approximately 90% of patients maintained a visual acuity better than 20/40 in at least one eye. The most frequently encountered ophthalmic complications included cystoid macular edema, cataract, and epiretinal membrane formation. Of 37 patients with pars planitis who had medical or neurologic follow-up evaluations, 6 (16.2%) developed multiple sclerosis. The HLA-DR15 allele, coding for one of the two HLA-DR2 subtypes, was associated with pars planitis (odds ratio = 2.86, 95% confidence interval = 1.42-5.78, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS:

A common immunogenetic predisposition to multiple sclerosis and pars planitis may be associated with the HLA-DR15 allele. This association may represent genetic linkage to the HLA-DR locus or a role for the HLA-DR15 gene product in the pathogenesis of both of these diseases.

• Authors: S C Raja, D A Jabs, J P Dunn, S Fekrat, C H Machan, M J Marsh, N M Bressler
• Journal: Ophthalmology (Ophthalmology) Vol. 106 Issue 3 Pg. 594-9 (Mar 1999) ISSN: 0161-6420 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10080220 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• HLA-DR Antigens
• HLA-DR Serological Subtypes
• HLA-DR15 antigen

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Alleles
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Gene Frequency
• Genetic Linkage (genetics)
• HLA-DR Antigens (genetics)
• HLA-DR Serological Subtypes
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multiple Sclerosis (diagnosis, genetics)
• Optic Neuritis (diagnosis, genetics)
• Pars Planitis (diagnosis, genetics)
• Prognosis
• Visual Acuity