Full-field electroretinography and marked variability in clinical phenotype of Alström syndrome.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To characterize the clinical phenotype and to study the course of disease in patients with Alström syndrome, with an emphasis on retinal function assessed with full-field electroretinography (ERG).

METHODS:

Three age- and sex-matched patients with Alström syndrome were selected from our retinitis pigmentosa register for repeated ophthalmologic examinations that included tests for color vision and visual fields using Goldmann perimetry and for repeated assessment of full-field ERGs.

RESULTS:

Electroretinography demonstrated cone-rod degeneration in all 3 patients. A concomitant impairment of color vision and visual fields was also observed as well as marked variation in retinal function and in disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS:

Full-field ERGs confirmed that Alström syndrome is associated with a cone-rod type of retinal degeneration. In this study, we have shown a striking variability in retinal function and disease onset and severity, which has, to our knowledge, not been described previously in Alström syndrome.

• Authors: Eva Malm, Vesna Ponjavic, Patsy M Nishina, Jürgen K Naggert, Elizabeth G Hinman, Sten Andréasson, Jan D Marshall, Claes Möller
• Journal: Archives of ophthalmology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960) (Arch Ophthalmol) Vol. 126 Issue 1 Pg. 51-7 (Jan 2008) ISSN: 0003-9950 [Print] United States
• PMID: 18195218 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• ALMS1 protein, human
• Cell Cycle Proteins
• Proteins

Topics

• Abnormalities, Multiple (genetics, physiopathology)
• Cell Cycle Proteins
• Child
• Color Vision Defects (physiopathology)
• DNA Mutational Analysis
• Electroretinography
• Female
• Hearing Loss, Sensorineural (genetics, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Mutation
• Obesity (genetics, physiopathology)
• Phenotype
• Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate (physiology)
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Proteins (genetics)
• Retinitis Pigmentosa (genetics, physiopathology)
• Syndrome
• Vision Disorders (physiopathology)
• Visual Field Tests
• Visual Fields (physiology)