Sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) – a review and proposed strategies toward a better understanding of pathogenesis,early diagnosis,and therapy |
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| Authors: | András M. Komáromy Kenneth L. Abrams John R. Heckenlively Steven K. Lundy David J. Maggs Caroline M. Leeth Puliyur S. MohanKumar Simon M. Petersen‐Jones David V. Serreze Alexandra van der Woerdt |
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| Affiliation: | 1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA;2. School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA;3. Eye Care for Animals, Warwick, RI02886, USA;4. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA;5. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;6. Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California‐Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA;7. Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 175 West Campus Drive, MC 0306, 3280 Litton Reaves Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA;8. Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;9. The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA;10. The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY 10065, USA |
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| Abstract: | Sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) is one of the leading causes of currently incurable canine vision loss diagnosed by veterinary ophthalmologists. The disease is characterized by acute onset of blindness due to loss of photoreceptor function, extinguished electroretinogram with an initially normal appearing ocular fundus, and mydriatic pupils which are slowly responsive to bright white light, unresponsive to red, but responsive to blue light stimulation. In addition to blindness, the majority of affected dogs also show systemic abnormalities suggestive of hyperadrenocorticism, such as polyphagia with resulting obesity, polyuria, polydipsia, and a subclinical hepatopathy. The pathogenesis of SARDS is unknown, but neuroendocrine and autoimmune mechanisms have been suggested. Therapies that target these disease pathways have been proposed to reverse or prevent further vision loss in SARDS‐affected dogs, but these treatments are controversial. In November 2014, the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists' Vision for Animals Foundation organized and funded a Think Tank to review the current knowledge and recently proposed ideas about disease mechanisms and treatment of SARDS. These panel discussions resulted in recommendations for future research strategies toward a better understanding of pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and potential therapy for this condition. |
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| Keywords: | autoimmune retinopathy blindness canine endocrinopathy hyperadrenocorticism sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome |
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