Long-term follow-up of a Chinese patient with KCNV2-retinopathy

Ophthalmic Genet. 2021 Apr;42(2):144-149. doi: 10.1080/13816810.2020.1861307. Epub 2020 Dec 29.

Abstract

Purpose: To characterize and monitor the clinical and electrophysiological features of a Chinese patient with KCNV2 retinopathy.Methods: A 17-year-old Chinese male with the diagnosis of cone dystrophy with supernormal rod response (CDSRR) was followed-up for 5 years, with full ophthalmological examinations, including decimal best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and full-field electroretinogram (ERG). Genetic screening was performed to detect the sequence variations in the retinal dystrophy associated genes in the patient and his parents.Results: The patient demonstrated the characteristic full-field electroretinography (ERG) features of CDSRR, namely a profound enlargement of the dark-adapted ERG b-wave amplitude with increasing flash strength and a broadened a-wave trough; this case also had undetectable light-adapted ERGs. A BCVA of 0.15 was maintained over 5 years in both eyes; while progressive macular atrophy was identified. Molecular genetic analyses revealed two novel disease-causing KCNV2 variants in compound heterozygous state: c.1408 G > C (p.Gly470Arg) and c.1500 C > G (p.Tyr500Ter).Conclusions: This is the first long-term case study of an East Asian patient with molecularly confirmed CDSRR. The progressive atrophy with maintained VA demonstrated in this case will be valuable for increasing the understanding of the natural course of KCNV2 retinopathy and it will help in counselling patients with this disease.

Keywords: Cone dystrophy with supernormal rod responses; KCNV2; electroretinogram; longitudinal follow-up; optical coherence tomography.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Asian People / genetics*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Genetic Testing
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Phenotype*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / genetics*
  • Retinal Dystrophies / diagnostic imaging
  • Retinal Dystrophies / genetics
  • Retinal Dystrophies / pathology*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence

Substances

  • KCNV2 protein, human
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated