HLA typing in patients with multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS).

BACKGROUND

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome (MEWDS) is an acquired chorioretinal disorder of unknown etiology. We investigated the possibility that MEWDS might be related to a specific HLA subtyping.

METHODS/RESULTS: Blood was obtained from nine patients affected by MEWDS. HLA-B51 was found in four of these nine patients with MEWDS.

CONCLUSION

There was a 3.7-fold increased frequency of HLA-B51 in patients affected by MEWDS (relative risk 5.86). MEWDS might then be related to the presence of a specific HLA subtype, HLA-B51. However, due to the small sample size, our results need to be confirmed by further testing.