Best Disease 

  • Author: Michael Altaweel, MD, FRCS(C); Chief Editor: Hampton Roy Sr, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 11, 2010
 

Background

Best disease, also termed vitelliform macular dystrophy, is an autosomal dominant disorder, which classically presents in childhood with the striking appearance of a yellow or orange yolklike lesion in the macula. Dr Franz Best, a German ophthalmologist, described the first pedigree in 1905.[1]

The lesion evolves through several stages over many years, with increasing potential for adverse visual outcome. A hallmark of the disease is a markedly abnormal electro-oculogram (EOG) in all stages of progression and in phenotypically normal carriers.[2] The adult form varies, as described and shown in the image below.

Adult vitelliform macular dystrophy resembles BestAdult vitelliform macular dystrophy resembles Best disease, but it can be differentiated by its later age of onset, smaller lesion, and normal electro-oculogram testing.
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Pathophysiology

Lesions in Best disease are restricted to the eye. No systemic associations exist. Abnormalities in the eye result from a disorder in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). A dysfunction of bestrophin results in abnormal fluid and ion transport by the RPE.[3] Lipofuscin (periodic acid-Schiff [PAS] positive) accumulates within the RPE cells and in the sub-RPE space, particularly in the foveal area. The RPE appears to have degenerative changes in some cases, and secondary loss of photoreceptor cells has been noted.[4]

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Epidemiology

Frequency

United States

Best disease is rare.

International

Best disease is rare.

Mortality/Morbidity

Visual acuity is good in the previtelliform stage. Even with the egg-yolk appearance, visual acuity is maintained in the range of 20/20 to 20/50 (6/6 to 6/15) for many years. The breakup of the vitelliform stage, leading to the scrambled egg stage, may be accompanied by visual acuity deterioration. It is the final stages of geographic RPE atrophy with possible development of choroidal neovascular membrane that is associated with further deterioration in acuity.[5, 6] These changes usually occur in individuals older than 40 years. Various studies have shown that most individuals retain reading and driving vision in at least 1 eye into adulthood (88% have 20/40 or better vision). Only 4% of these individuals develop vision less than 20/200 in the better eye.

Race

Best disease is found in individuals of European, African, and Hispanic ancestry.

Sex

No known gender predilection exists.

Age

Usual onset of Best disease is from 3-15 years, with an average age of 6 years. The condition often is not detected until much later in the disease because visual acuity may remain good for many years. The atrophic stage usually occurs after age 40 years.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Michael Altaweel, MD, FRCS(C)  Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Michael Altaweel, MD, FRCS(C) is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Andrew W Lawton, MD  Medical Director of Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Section of Ophthalmology, Baptist Eye Center, Baptist Health Medical Center

Andrew W Lawton, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, Arkansas Medical Society, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD  Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief of Section of Ophthalmology Surgical Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, West Los Angeles

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Steve Charles, MD  Director of Charles Retina Institute; Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Ophthalmology, Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons; Clinical Professor Ophthalmology, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Steve Charles, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Club Jules Gonin, Macula Society, and Retina Society

Disclosure: Alcon Laboratories Consulting fee Consulting; OptiMedica Ownership interest Consulting

Lance L Brown, OD, MD  Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD  Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Best F. Ubereine hereditare Maculaaffektion. Beitrage zur Vererbungslehre. Augenheilkd. 1905;13:199.

  2. Pinckers A, Cuypers MH, Aandekerk AL. The EOG in Best's disease and dominant cystoid macular dystrophy (DCMD). Ophthalmic Genet. Sep 1996;17(3):103-8. [Medline].

  3. Hartzell HC, Qu Z, Yu K, Xiao Q, Chien LT. Molecular physiology of bestrophins: multifunctional membrane proteins linked to best disease and other retinopathies. Physiol Rev. Apr 2008;88(2):639-72. [Medline].

  4. Weingeist TA, Kobrin JL, Watzke RC. Histopathology of Best's macular dystrophy. Arch Ophthalmol. Jul 1982;100(7):1108-14. [Medline].

  5. Leu J, Schrage NF, Degenring RF. Choroidal neovascularisation secondary to Best's disease in a 13-year-old boy treated by intravitreal bevacizumab. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. Nov 2007;245(11):1723-5. [Medline].

  6. Miller SA, Bresnick GH, Chandra SR. Choroidal neovascular membrane in Best's vitelliform macular dystrophy. Am J Ophthalmol. Aug 1976;82(2):252-5. [Medline].

  7. Berkley WL, Bussey FR. Heredodegeneration of the macula. Am J Ophthalmol. 1949;32:361-5.

  8. Blodi CF, Stone EM. Best's vitelliform dystrophy. Ophthalmic Paediatr Genet. Mar 1990;11(1):49-59. [Medline].

  9. Deutman AF. The Hereditary Dystrophies of the Posterior Pole of the Eye. Assen: Van Gorcum; 1971:198.

  10. Falls HF. The polymorphous manifestations of Best's disease (vitelliform eruptive disease of the retina). Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 1969;67:265-82. [Medline].

  11. Krill AE, Morse PA, Potts AM, Klien BA. Hereditary vitelliruptive macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol. Jun 1966;61(6):1405-15. [Medline].

  12. Epstein GA, Rabb MF. Adult vitelliform macular degeneration: diagnosis and natural history. Br J Ophthalmol. Oct 1980;64(10):733-40. [Medline].

  13. Miller SA. Multifocal Best's vitelliform dystrophy. Arch Ophthalmol. Jun 1977;95(6):984-90. [Medline].

  14. Lanzetta P, Virgili G, Menchini U. Indocyanine green angiography in vitelliform macular lesions. Ophthalmologica. 1996;210(4):189-94. [Medline].

  15. Querques G, Regenbogen M, Quijano C, Delphin N, Soubrane G, Souied EH. High-definition optical coherence tomography features in vitelliform macular dystrophy. Am J Ophthalmol. Oct 2008;146(4):501-507. [Medline].

  16. Deutman AF. Electro-oculography in families with vitelliform dystrophy of the fovea. Detection of the carrier state. Arch Ophthalmol. Mar 1969;81(3):305-16. [Medline].

  17. Wajima R, Chater SB, Katsumi O, Mehta MC, Hirose T. Correlating visual acuity and electrooculogram recordings in Best's disease. Ophthalmologica. 1993;207(4):174-81. [Medline].

  18. Glybina IV, Frank RN. Localization of multifocal electroretinogram abnormalities to the lesion site: findings in a family with Best disease. Arch Ophthalmol. Nov 2006;124(11):1593-600. [Medline].

  19. Marquardt A, Stohr H, Passmore LA, Kramer F, Rivera A, Weber BH. Mutations in a novel gene, VMD2, encoding a protein of unknown properties cause juvenile-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy (Best's disease). Hum Mol Genet. Sep 1998;7(9):1517-25. [Medline].

  20. Stone EM, Nichols BE, Streb LM, Kimura AE, Sheffield VC. Genetic linkage of vitelliform macular degeneration (Best's disease) to chromosome 11q13. Nat Genet. Jul 1992;1(4):246-50. [Medline].

  21. Stohr H, Marquardt A, Rivera A, Cooper PR, Nowak NJ, Shows TB, et al. A gene map of the Best's vitelliform macular dystrophy region in chromosome 11q12-q13.1. Genome Res. Jan 1998;8(1):48-56. [Medline].

  22. Zhang K, Nguyen TH, Crandall A, Donoso LA. Genetic and molecular studies of macular dystrophies: recent developments. Surv Ophthalmol. Jul-Aug 1995;40(1):51-61. [Medline].

  23. Patrinely JR, Lewis RA, Font RL. Foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy, adult type. A clinicopathologic study including electron microscopic observations. Ophthalmology. Dec 1985;92(12):1712-8. [Medline].

  24. Mohler CW, Fine SL. Long-term evaluation of patients with Best's vitelliform dystrophy. Ophthalmology. Jul 1981;88(7):688-92. [Medline].

 
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Classic egg-yolk appearance in the second (vitelliform) stage of vitelliform macular dystrophy. The 0.5-6 mm diameter yellow or orange lesion results from an accumulation of lipofuscin beneath and within the retinal pigment epithelium. This lesion is usually noted in individuals aged 3-15 years. Visual acuity is most often preserved in the 20/20 to 20/40 range.
The pseudohypopyon (stage 3) lesion is found in the teenage or later years. It results from a break in the retinal pigment epithelium, allowing accumulation of the yellow substance in the subretinal space with the formation of a fluid level. This fluid can shift over 60-90 minutes with positioning.
The atrophic stage (stage 5) may be accompanied by the deposition of pigment or choroidal neovascularization, both of which can lead to visual deterioration.
The scrambled egg appearance of stage 4 results from a deterioration of the uniform cystic lesion noted in stage 2 (egg-yolk appearance). At this point, the visual acuity can begin to worsen.
Adult vitelliform macular dystrophy resembles Best disease, but it can be differentiated by its later age of onset, smaller lesion, and normal electro-oculogram testing.
The fluorescein angiogram of the latter lesion reveals a transmission defect consistent with atrophic changes in the retinal pigment epithelium. This appearance also can be found in the later stages of Best disease.
 
 
 
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