One hundred and sixteen patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), 64 patients with other eye diseases, and 36 control subjects with no known eye disease were examined for antiretinal autoimmune activity. Sera were screened by indirect immunofluorescence on normal donor human eye sections to detect antibodies to human retinal antigens. Forty three of 116 RP patients (37%), 21 out of 64 non-RP patients with other eye diseases (33%), and 1 out of 42 controls (2%) had antibodies reacting with donor eye retinal antigens. Lymphocytes were tested by an in vitro transformation assay to detect cell mediated immunity to retinal antigens. Sixteen RP patients (19%), 11 non-RP patients (18%), and four controls (10%) showed lymphocyte sensitisation. Autoimmune responses were detected in many degenerative ocular disorders, but it is not known if they play a contributory pathogenic role.

SUMMARY Testing by indirect immunofluorescence for the detection of antiretinal antibodies and lymphocyte stimulation for cell-mediated immunity to retinal antigens was performed on blood obtained from 59 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and 29 without RP who had other types of retinal disease. The results from the patients' immunological studies were correlated in a masked fashion with six parameters of the fluorescein angiogram: disc staining, peripapillary oedema, vascular arcade oedema, macular oedema, and focal vascular staining (late phases), and disc telangiectasia (early phases). Significant correlations for both groups together were found for IgG antiretinal antibody reactivity and macular oedema (p<0038) and disc staining (p<0-033). The non-RP retinal disease group had more significant correlations, including IgG antiretinal antibody reactivity with vascular arcade oedema (p<0-018), disc staining (p<0-018), and peripapillary oedema (p<0-023); the RP patients had significant correlation with IgG reactivity and arcade oedema (p<0-045). With combinations of IgG, IgM, and lymphocyte reactivity various significant. correlations were found with the fluorescein angiogram.

SUMMARY Testing by indirect immunofluorescence for the detection of antiretinal antibodies and lymphocyte stimulation for cell-mediated immunity to retinal antigens was performed on blood obtained from 59 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and 29 without RP who had other types of retinal disease. The results from the patients' immunological studies were correlated in a masked fashion with six parameters of the fluorescein angiogram: disc staining, peripapillary oedema, vascular arcade oedema, macular oedema, and focal vascular staining (late phases), and disc telangiectasia (early phases). Significant correlations for both groups together were found for IgG antiretinal antibody reactivity and macular oedema (p<0038) and disc staining (p<0-033). The non-RP retinal disease group had more significant correlations, including IgG antiretinal antibody reactivity with vascular arcade oedema (p<0-018), disc staining (p<0-018), and peripapillary oedema (p<0-023); the RP patients had significant correlation with IgG reactivity and arcade oedema (p<0-045). With combinations of IgG, IgM, and lymphocyte reactivity various significant. correlations were found with the fluorescein angiogram.

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