• Jin Ha Kim, Jung Woo Han, Eun Woo Choi, Ji Hong Bang, Hee Jeong Shin, Mi-Ae Jang, Jong-Young Lee, Jeong Nam Choi, Hun Soo Chang, and Tae Kwann Park.
• Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Hospital Bucheon, Bucheon, Korea.
• J. Korean Med. Sci. 2022 Jan 17; 37 (3): e5e5.

BackgroundTo investigate the clinical findings of choroideremia patients and perform genetic analysis by whole-exome sequencing (WES).MethodsA total of 94 patients initially diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at another hospital, and who visited our hospital for genetic analysis by WES, were included in the study, along with 64 family members. All subjects underwent comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation, including best-corrected visual acuity, slit lamp examination, fundus photography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), fluorescein angiography (FAG), visual field (VF), electroretinogram (ERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT).ResultsIn six male patients with suspected choroideremia, extensive retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and severe loss of choroid were observed in the fundus, but not in the macula. CHM gene mutation was confirmed in five patients. A novel single nucleotide variant at a splice site was observed in one patient. OCT showed marked thinning of the outernuclear layer and choroid, except in the macula. FAF showed a small area of hyperfluorescence in the posterior pole. In addition, characteristic interlaminar bridges were observed in four patients. On FAG, hypofluorescence was seen up to the far-peripheral retina in five patients.ConclusionOf the 94 patients initially diagnosed with RP, CHM mutation was identified in five (5.3%) by WES. Choroideremia should be considered as a differential diagnosis of RP. WES would be useful for identifying the causes of hereditary retinal disease.© 2022 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

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