In birdshot chorioretinopathy, the HLA association that is essentially pathognomonic (present in >95% of cases) is:

• A HLA-A29 ✓
• B HLA-B27
• C HLA-DR4
• D HLA-B51

Explanation

Birdshot chorioretinopathy is one of the strongest HLA associations in medicine: >95% of patients carry HLA-A29 (specifically the HLA-A*29 allele). Testing for HLA-A29 has high sensitivity and specificity for this diagnosis, making it clinically useful in the diagnostic workup of patients with characteristic cream-colored oval lesions scattered in a 'birdshot' pattern in the posterior fundus. HLA-B27 is associated with anterior uveitis in seronegative spondyloarthropathies; HLA-B51 with Behcet's; HLA-DR4 with VKH.

Reference: Khurana Comprehensive Ophthalmology, 7th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.