Choroidal Neovascularization Associated With Birdshot Chorioretinopathy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy (BCR) may develop visual compromise due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV), and few series address management strategies in the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) era. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical outcomes of combination anti-VEGF and immunosuppressive therapy for CNV associated with BCR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective, interventional case series. Patients with BCR from two tertiary uveitis and retina practices were reviewed. Patients with CNV in association with BCR were identified and reviewed in detail. Clinical features, treatments utilized (ie, anti-VEGF injections, immunosuppressive therapy), and functional and structural outcomes over long-term follow-up were recorded. Outcomes measured included Snellen visual acuity, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography macular thickness during treatment, number and type of anti-VEGF injections, the need for initiation or escalation of immunosuppression, and incidence of CNV in macula-involved versus macula-sparing BCR. RESULTS: Four of 36 BCR patients were diagnosed with choroidal neovascularization (11%). Identification of CNV in all patients prompted treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF injections and an increase or initiation of local or systemic immunosuppression. Mean Snellen visual acuity improved from 20/60 to 20/30 at final follow-up (P = .02). Mean central subfield thickness improved from 443 mu to 254 mu (P = .04). CNV in association with BCR occurred at a rate of 0.11 events per patient-year (95% CI, 0.02-0.31) in macula-involved BCR versus zero events/patient-year in macula-spared BCR (95% CI, 0-0.058; P = .009). CONCLUSION: Anti-VEGF therapy was effective for the treatment of CNV in BCR patients. A combination of systemic or local immunosuppression and anti-VEGF therapy may be useful in the management of CNV associated with BCR.