Limited Clinical Value of Anti-Retinal Antibody Titers and Numbers in Autoimmune Retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose

To assess the possible correlation of anti-retinal antibody titers and number of anti-retinal antibodies with outcome measurements including visual acuity, subjective vision loss, visual field, and electroretinography in patients with autoimmune retinopathy.

Design

Single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study.

Patients and Methods

Patients with autoimmune retinopathy who underwent anti-retinal antibody testing at least twice during their follow-up were enrolled. Anti-retinal antibody titers and numbers were grouped as improved, stable, or worsened. Outcomes included Snellen visual acuity, patient-reported vision loss, Humphrey visual field mean deviations, and electroretinography parameters.

Results

Thirty-one eyes among 16 patients with autoimmune retinopathy were included. Between-group analyses of visual acuity, subjective vision loss, visual field, and electroretinography outcomes did not reveal any significant differences by anti-retinal antibody titer or number group at a 95% confidence interval.

Conclusion

Changes in anti-retinal antibody titers or numbers were not associated with any vision outcome. Repeated anti-retinal antibody testing may be unnecessary after diagnosis of autoimmune retinopathy and detection of an anti-retinal antibody.

Keywords:

• autoimmune retinopathy
• anti-retinal antibody
• visual field
• electroretinography
• outcome measurements

Disclosure

Dr C Stephen Foster reports personal fees from Bausch & Lomb, outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.