Laboratory Studies in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Abstract

Serum cholesterol levels are said to be lower in the Bassen-Kornzweig syndrome (acanthocytosis, ataxia, lipid abnormalities, and retinitis pigmentosa) than in any other known clinical entity (less than 75 mg/100 cc).¹ This statement prompted the following study of blood lipids in adult patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Since syphilitic chorioretinitis can so closely imitate retinitis pigmentosa,² even in terms of an extinguished electroretinogram (ERG),³ and because many cases of seronegative ocular syphilis can be serologically detected only by the treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) tests,⁴ each patient in this study received a TPI and FTA-ABS test as well as an ERG. Because inconsistent laboratory values have been reported in cases of retinitis pigmentosa, serum vitamin A, carotene, protein electrophoresis, red cell morphology, and latex flocculation, as well as urinary amino acids, were also evaluated. This report compares data obtained from nine adult