Diagnostic Function of 3D Optical Coherence Tomography Images in Diagnosis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease at Acute Uveitis Stage

BACKGROUND This study analyzed the macular 3D-OCT images of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH) in uveitis, explored the characteristics of 3D-OCT images of the macular region of VKH, and assessed which characteristics contribute most to VKH diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS The 3D-OCT examination of 25 cases of VKH was performed on the macular area, and the image characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS Our study included a total of 50 eyes from 25 cases of VKH patients, 10 males and 15 females, aged 17 to 64 years, mean (39.44±11.60) years old. According to OCT B-scan images, 49 (98%) eyes had ERD, 49 (98%) eyes had nerve retinal edema, 36 (72%) eyes had endometrium-like structure (including cysts), 5 (10%) eyes had RPE folds, 35 (70%) eyes had changes in the internal septum, 49 (98%) eyes had RPE monolayer structure outside the ERD region. In ILM-RPE thickness, 49 (98%) eyes had retinal irregular thickening and 31 (62%) eyes had radial stripe changes. In ILM contour figure, 50 eyes (100%) showed exceptional uplift, 5 (10%) eyes had small focal uplift for PED on the RPE surface, and 48 (96%) eyes had wavy ups and downs. CONCLUSIONS In OCT B-scan imaging, the ERT, retinal edema of the retina, and the RPE monolayer structure outside the range are most likely to occur in VKH. The ILM-RPE thickness chart in 3D reconstruction showed irregular thickening of the retina. The ILM contour graph showed abnormal uplift, and RPE surface wavy ups and downs in VKH most likely to occur.

Immunosuppression for the Uveitides

The uveitides are a collection of more than 30 diseases characterized by intraocular inflammation. Many cases of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis, many cases of intermediate uveitis, and most cases of posterior and panuveitides requiring treatment are treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppression. Disease-specific, time-updated modeling of clinical data for several uveitides suggests superior prevention of ocular complications and visual outcomes with immunosuppression. These studies also suggest that oral corticosteroids at doses low enough for safe long-term therapy (i.e., <7.5 mg/day) are ineffective, implying that immunosuppression should be part of the initial regimen. The Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) Trial and Follow-up Study was a randomized comparative effectiveness trial comparing systemic therapy with oral corticosteroids and immunosuppression with regional corticosteroid treatment. It demonstrated that, when used properly, oral corticosteroids and immunosuppression can be given safely for up to 7 years with no evident increased risk of systemic side effects compared with regional corticosteroid therapy, except for greater antibiotic use for infections. The Systemic Treatment for Eye Diseases (SITE) Cohort Study suggested long-term safety for this approach, when the immunosuppressive agents were antimetabolites or calcineurin inhibitors. Thus, oral corticosteroids and immunosuppression may be a preferred initial therapy for many noninfectious, intermediate, posterior, and panuveitides. Nonalkylating-agent immunosuppression has a low rate of sustained, drug-free remissions, <10%/year. Nonalkylating-agent immunosuppression for >3 years with control of the inflammation for >2 years is associated with a decreased risk of relapse after discontinuing immunosuppression. Alkylating agents can induce sustained drug-free remissions but likely increase the lifetime risk of cancer. Biologics, which target specific cytokines and pathways, hold promise for the future. Monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α have been studied most often, and one, adalimumab, is U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for the treatment of noninfectious, intermediate, posterior, and panuveitides.

Guidance on Noncorticosteroid Systemic Immunomodulatory Therapy in Noninfectious Uveitis: Fundamentals Of Care for UveitiS (FOCUS) Initiative

TOPIC

An international, expert-led consensus initiative to develop systematic, evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis in the era of biologics.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The availability of biologic agents for the treatment of human eye disease has altered practice patterns for the management of noninfectious uveitis. Current guidelines are insufficient to assure optimal use of noncorticosteroid systemic immunomodulatory agents.

METHODS

An international expert steering committee comprising 9 uveitis specialists (including both ophthalmologists and rheumatologists) identified clinical questions and, together with 6 bibliographic fellows trained in uveitis, conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol systematic review of the literature (English language studies from January 1996 through June 2016; Medline [OVID], the Central Cochrane library, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, BIOSIS, and Web of Science). Publications included randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective studies with sufficient follow-up, case series with 15 cases or more, peer-reviewed articles, and hand-searched conference abstracts from key conferences. The proposed statements were circulated among 130 international uveitis experts for review. A total of 44 globally representative group members met in late 2016 to refine these guidelines using a modified Delphi technique and assigned Oxford levels of evidence.

RESULTS

In total, 10 questions were addressed resulting in 21 evidence-based guidance statements covering the following topics: when to start noncorticosteroid immunomodulatory therapy, including both biologic and nonbiologic agents; what data to collect before treatment; when to modify or withdraw treatment; how to select agents based on individual efficacy and safety profiles; and evidence in specific uveitic conditions. Shared decision-making, communication among providers and safety monitoring also were addressed as part of the recommendations. Pharmacoeconomic considerations were not addressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Consensus guidelines were developed based on published literature, expert opinion, and practical experience to bridge the gap between clinical needs and medical evidence to support the treatment of patients with noninfectious uveitis with noncorticosteroid immunomodulatory agents.

The eye involvement in monogenic autoinflammatory diseases: literature review and update

Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases (AIDs) are rare entities characterised by improper activation of the innate immune system. This in turn determines recurrent episodes of systemic inflammation characterised by fever, which is variously combined with a wide range of inflammatory manifestations involving the skin, joints, serous membranes, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. As shown by research efforts conducted during the last decade, the eye is not exempt from the systemic inflammatory process and may be involved in almost all of the most frequent AIDs, with several distinct peculiarities. Ocular affections may severely impact patients' quality of life due to orbital pain, impairment of visual acuity, and/ or long-term, sight-threatening complications. Consequently, in the context of a multidisciplinary team, ophthalmologists should be aware of ocular manifestations related to these disorders as they may have a dominant diagnostic weight in patients with a challenging presentation as well as a salient role in therapeutic choice in sight-threatening situations. This review describes a variety of aspects of ophthalmologic involvement in AIDs, looking at both well-recognised eye manifestations as well as rarely reported ocular presentations, with a particular focus on the recent literature.

Ocular Emergencies: Red Eye

"Red eye" is used as a general term to describe irritated or bloodshot eyes. It is a recognizable sign of an acute/chronic, localized/systemic underlying inflammatory condition. Conjunctival injection is most commonly caused by dryness, allergy, visual fatigue, contact lens overwear, and local infections. In some instances, red eye can represent a true ocular emergency that should be treated by an ophthalmologist. A comprehensive assessment of red eye conditions is required to preserve the patients visual function. Severe ocular pain, significant photophobia, decreased vision, and history of ocular trauma are warning signs demanding immediate ophthalmological consultation.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with biologics may exacerbate HTLV-1-associated conditions: A case report

RATIONALE

There are roughly 5 to 10 million persons infected with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) worldwide, and the safety of treating this population with biologics remains poorly understood.

PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS

An HTLV-1-infected 66-year-old female with HTLV-1 uveitis (HU) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Her HU had been in remission and her HAM/TSP symptoms had been managed effectively with oral steroids for years. However, she developed severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after failing to respond well to conventional anti-rheumatic agents.

INTERVENTIONS

She was administered two intravenous 8mg/kg doses of the biologic tocilizumab.

OUTCOMES

Subsequently, her RA symptoms resolved, but she suffered a recurrence of HU and exacerbation of HAM/TSP symptoms. When she was switched back to steroid-based treatment, HU and HAM symptoms both improved, but RA symptoms again worsened. Finally, an attempt to substitute the biologic abatacept and reduce the steroids failed when HAM/TSP symptoms again became aggravated.

LESSONS

To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report worldwide of a biologic aggravating HTLV-1-associated conditions. This report suggests that caution is advised when using biologics to treat HTLV-1-infected patients, though further research is required to clarify the situation.

Quantifying Retinal Microvascular Changes in Uveitis Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

PURPOSE

To quantify retinal capillary density and morphology in uveitis using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, observational study.

METHODS

Healthy and uveitic subjects were recruited from 2 tertiary care eye centers. Prototype SD-OCTA devices (Cirrus; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, California, USA) were used to generate 3 × 3-mm² OCTA images centered on the fovea. Subjects were placed into 3 groups based on the type of optical microangiography (OMAG) algorithm used for image processing (intensity and/or phase) and type of retinal segmentation (automatic or manual). A semi-automated method was used to calculate skeleton density (SD), vessel density (VD), fractal dimension (FD), and vessel diameter index (VDI). Retinal vasculature was assessed in the superficial retinal layer (SRL), deep retinal layer (DRL), and nonsegmented retinal layer (NS-RL). A generalized estimating equations model was used to analyze associations between the OCTA measures and disease status within each retinal layer. A P value < .05 was accepted as significant. Reproducibility and repeatability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

The SD, VD, and FD of the parafoveal capillaries were lower in uveitic eyes compared with healthy eyes in all retinal segments. In addition, SD and VD were significantly lower in the DRL of subjects with uveitic macular edema. There was no correlation in any capillary parameters and anatomic classification of uveitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Quantitative analysis of parafoveal capillary density and morphology in uveitis demonstrates significantly lower capillary density and complexity. SD-OCTA algorithms are robust enough to detect these changes and can provide a novel diagnostic index of disease for uveitis subjects.

Anti-TNFα Treatment for HLA-B27-Positive Ankylosing Spondylitis-Related Uveitis

PURPOSE

To assess the long-term efficacy of the most widely used anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) agents for treatment of HLA-B27-positive ankylosing spondylitis (AS)-related uveitis.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

The medical records of 143 patients with HLA-B27-positive AS who visited Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and were taking an anti-TNFα agent for at least 1 year were studied. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to anti-TNFα treatment: Group 1 (infliximab, 66), Group 2 (adalimumab, 45), and Group 3 (etanercept, 32).

RESULTS

Mean age was 41.0 ± 13.0 years, and 97 patients (67.8%) were male. Mean follow-up period was 70.6 ± 37.9 months. In cases of active ocular inflammation at the onset of anti-TNFα treatment, patients showed improved activity of uveitis after 24.0 ± 15.0 days (Group 1), 17.9 ± 6.0 days (Group 2), and 25.9 ± 18.0 days (Group 3). After the anti-TNFα treatment, 71 of 94 patients (32 [76.2%] in Group 1, 26 [78.8%] in Group 2, and 13 [68.4%] in Group 3) remained without uveitis relapse. A reduction in the number of systemic medications was achieved in 129 patients (90.2%). Twenty-eight cases of minor side effects were observed, and 4 cases were tuberculosis leading to discontinuation of anti-TNFα treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Infliximab, adalimumab, and etanercept were effective for treating and reducing the number of uveitis relapses in HLA-B27-positive AS. However, the risk of serious infections was noted, so ophthalmologists should consider the possibility that prolonged use of biologic agents may result in systemic side effects.

[Association between optical coherence tomography findings and visual acuity of Behcet's disease-associated uveitis patients during remission stage]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between the structure of macular central fovea and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) during remission stage of Behcet's disease associated uveitis.

METHODS

Retrospective case series studies. The study covered 51 patients (79 eyes) during remission stage of Behcet's disease-associated uveitis from Peking Union Medical College Hospital in a three-year period from January 2012 to January 2015. There were 40 males, 11 females with the average age of 31.5 ± 6.9 years old (ranging from 18 to 46). All the patients received a complete set of ophthalmic examination, including BCVA, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp microscope, ophthalmoscope and frequency domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). All the eyes were divided into 4 groups according to central macular thickness (CMT) (the thick CMT group: CMT ≥ 130 µm; the thin CMT group: CMT < 130 µm) and the existence of ellipsoid zone. Group 1: thick CMT and ellipsoid (+); Group 2: thick CMT and ellipsoid (-); Group 3: thin CMT and ellipsoid (+); Group 4: thin CMT and ellipsoid (-). Sight disparity among multiple groups was tested with Kruskal Wallis, while the difference between two groups was tested with Mann-Whitney U test. Bonferroni correction was conducted when necessary.

RESULTS

The mean CMT was (151.4 ± 62.3) µm in all eyes (43 eyes in thick CMT group, 36 eyes in thin CMT group). According to grouping rule, there were 32 eyes in group 1, 11 eyes in group 2, 2 eyes in group 3 and 34 eyes in group 4. The BCVA of thick CMT group was better than that of thin CMT group (logMAR0.1 and logMAR1.0) (z = -6.88, P < 0.01). In addition, the BCVA of ellipsoid (+) group was better than the ellipsoid (-) group. (log MAR0.1 and log MAR1.0) (z = -6.60, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Thick CMT and intact ellipsoid zone usually associated with relatively better BCVA in Behcet's disease-associated uveitis patients.

Ocular and systemic features of sarcoidosis and correlation with the International Workshop for Ocular Sarcoidosis diagnostic criteria

PURPOSE

To describe the ocular and systemic features in biopsy proven (definite) and non-biopsy proven (clinical) ocular sarcoidosis and to compare the ocular features with those proposed by the International Workshop for Ocular Sarcoidosis (IWOS).

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of 83 patients who attended a tertiary referral uveitis clinic and were diagnosed with sarcoidosis. Patients were divided into two groups based on the type of diagnosis: those who had tissue biopsy confirmed diagnosis 'definite sarcoidosis' (n= 42; 50.60 %) and those who had 'clinical sarcoidosis' (n= 41; 49.40%). Ocular and systemic manifestations, including lung function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage findings were compared in the two groups. The ocular features were also compared with the categories laid down by the International Workshop on Ocular Sarcoidosis (IWOS).

RESULTS

The mean age at presentation was 38.75 years (SD=12.33), 55.42% patients were female and mean follow-up was 24.35 months (SD=18.35). Trabecular meshwork nodules and/or tent-shaped PAS (category II of IWOS) were observed more frequently in patients with biopsy proven sarcoidosis (26.19 % v/s 9.76%; p=0.08). After logistic regression analysis, the predictor coefficient curve showed area under curve of 0.7262. Lymphocytosis (38.61% and 28.02%, p=0.93) and monocytosis (55.11% and 53.83%, p=0.56) on bronchoalveolar lavage analysis was present in both the groups, highlighting presence of granulomatous disease.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests high reliability for the clinical diagnosis of ocular sarcoidosis in patients with signs recommended by IWOS and that our diagnostic criteria are consistent with that of the IWOS.

The role of sex in uveitis and ocular inflammation

Uveitides can be due to non-infectious and infectious etiologies. It has been observed that there is a gender difference with a greater preponderance of non-infectious uveitis in women than in men. This review will describe both non-infectious and infectious uveitides and describes some of the current autoimmune mechanisms thought to be underlying the gender difference. It will specifically look at non-infectious uveitides with systemic involvement including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, spondyloarthopathies, sarcoidosis, Behçet’s disease, and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease and at uveitides without systemic involvement including sympathetic ophthalmia, birdshot chorioretinitis, and the white dot syndromes. Infectious uveitides like acute retinal necrosis, progressive outer retinal necrosis, and cytomegalovirus mediated uveitis will be mentioned. Different uveitides with female- or male- predominance are presented and discussed.

Periocular corticosteroid injections in uveitis: effects and complications

PURPOSE

To evaluate the benefits and complications of periocular depot corticosteroid injections in patients with ocular inflammatory disorders.

DESIGN

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 914 patients (1192 eyes) who had received ≥ 1 periocular corticosteroid injection at 5 tertiary uveitis clinics in the United States.

METHODS

Patients were identified from the Systemic Immunosuppressive Therapy for Eye Diseases Cohort Study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained at every visit via medical record review by trained reviewers.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Control of inflammation, improvement of visual acuity (VA) to ≥ 20/40, improvement of VA loss attributed to macular edema (ME), incident cataract affecting VA, cataract surgery, ocular hypertension, and glaucoma surgery.

RESULTS

Among 914 patients (1192 eyes) who received ≥ 1 periocular injection during follow-up, 286 (31.3%) were classified as having anterior uveitis, 303 (33.3%) as intermediate uveitis, and 324 (35.4%) as posterior or panuveitis. Cumulatively by ≤ 6 months, 72.7% (95% CI, 69.1-76.3) of the eyes achieved complete control of inflammation and 49.7% (95% CI, 45.5-54.1) showed an improvement in VA from <20/40 to ≥ 20/40. Among the subset with VA <20/40 attributed to ME, 33.1% (95% CI, 25.2-42.7) improved to ≥ 20/40. By 12 months, the cumulative incidence of ≥ 1 visits with an intraocular pressure of ≥ 24 mmHg and ≥ 30 mmHg was 34.0% (95% CI, 24.8-45.4) and 15.0% (95% CI, 11.8-19.1) respectively; glaucoma surgery was performed in 2.4% of eyes (95% CI, 1.4-3.9). Within 12 months, among phakic eyes initially ≥ 20/40, the incidence of a reduction in VA to <20/40 attributed to cataract was 20.2% (95% CI, 15.9-25.6); cataract surgery was performed within 12 months in 13.8% of the initially phakic eyes (95% CI, 11.1-17.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Periocular injections were effective in treating active intraocular inflammation and in improving reduced VA attributed to ME in a majority of patients. The response pattern was similar across anatomic locations of uveitis. Overall, VA improved in one half of the patients at some point within 6 months. However, cataract and ocular hypertension occurred in a substantial minority.

Long-term clinical outcome and causes of vision loss in patients with uveitis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the long-term clinical and functional outcome, risks, and causes of vision loss and burden of disease among patients with uveitis.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 1076 patients diagnosed with uveitis who attended the uveitis clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom, between 2011 and 2013.

METHODS

Information was gathered from the notes of all patients who were examined in the clinic.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), causes of moderate vision loss (MVL; 20/50-20/120), and severe vision loss (SVL; ≤ 20/200).

RESULTS

The study included 1799 eyes of 1076 patients with an average follow-up of 7.97 ± 0.17 years (median, 5.6 years; range, 1 month-54 years; 8159 patient-years; 14 226 eye-years). Average BCVA remained stable for patients with anterior uveitis (20/30 at baseline to 20/33 at 10 years), as well as for those with nonanterior uveitis (20/50 at baseline to 20/47 at 10 years). Vision loss was noted in 19.2% of eyes, with an incidence for MVL of 0.01 per eye-year or 0.02 per patient-year and for SVL of 0.01 per eye-year or 0.02 per patient-year. Patients were more at risk of vision loss if they had non-anterior uveitis disease, vitreous opacities, retinal detachment, cystoid macular edema (CME), macular scarring, macular hole, optic neuropathy, or macular ischemia. Chronic CME was the most common cause of MVL (3.55%), and macular scarring was the most common cause for irreversible SVL (4%). Among 525 patients (48.7%) who received oral prednisolone, 320 (61%) required a dose of more than 40 mg/day and 130 (24.8%) also required 1 or more second-line agents. Patients were reviewed on average 33.7 ± 0.7 times or 5.9 ± 0.46 times/year.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term functional outcome among uveitis patients is good, with BCVA remaining stable for more than 10 years of follow-up. In cases when vision loss occurs, it is related mainly to retinal changes. The burden on clinical services is similar regardless of the severity of disease or the risk of vision loss.

[Alternation of retinal complement system in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide- induced uveitis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the activation of the complement system in the retina in a mouse model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU).

METHODS

Balb/c mice were randomly divided into control group and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced EIU group. Twenty-four hours after modeling, the expressions of the major complement components of the classical pathway (CP), mannose-binding lectin (MBL) pathway, alternative pathway (AP), and terminal pathway in the retina were determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Western blotting was employed to examine the protein expressions of the key components of the complement system involved in the CP and AP pathways in the retina.

RESULTS

s Normal mouse retina expressed a variety of complement components that were involved mainly in the CP and AP pathways. The expressions of the complement components involved in the CP and AP pathways were up-regulated in the retina of mice with EIU. Although MASP1 and MASP2 were detected in the retina in both the EIU and control groups, their expressions were weak and showed no significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The AP and CP but not the MBL pathways of the complement system are activated in the retina of mice with EIU, suggesting a role of the activated complement system in the pathological process of EIU.

Visual acuity and microperimetric mapping of lesion area in eyes with inflammatory cystoid macular oedema

PURPOSE

  To evaluate the effect of fluid accumulation on local visual function in inflammatory cystoid-macular-edema (ICME).

METHODS

  This cross-sectional study applied optical-coherence-tomography over a 12×12 fovea-centered field in 50 patients with ICME and mapped the extent of fluid-filled spaces in various retinal layers, of subretinal-fluid and of diffuse-edema. Regression analysis examined effect of planimetric fluid-distribution on best-corrected-visual-acuity (BCVA) and mean microperimetric-sensitivity.

RESULTS

  BCVA decreased with increasing central-neuroretinal-thickness (r= 0.52, p= 0.001), total central-retinal-thickness, including subneuroretinal-fluid (r= 0.41, p= 0.006), total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area (r= 0.35, p= 0.036) and cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (r= 0.39, p= 0.02). Mean retinal-sensitivity decreased with increasing diffuse edema-area (r= -0.86, p<0.0001), total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area (r= -0.54, p= 0.001), cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (r= -0.46, p= 0.008) and cystoid ganglion-cell-layer area (r= -0.6, p=0.049), central-neuroretinal-thickness (r= -0.42, p= 0.028) and total central-retinal-thickness (r= -0.34, p= 0.039). In multivariate-analyses BCVA was best described by central-neuroretinal-thickness, duration of edema, total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area and cystoid inner-nuclear-layer area (R(2) = 0.5, p= 0.002). Mean retinal-sensitivity was best described by diffuse edema-area, total cystoid-and-diffuse edema-area and central-neuroretinal-thickness (R(2) = 0.75, p< 0.0001). Subretinal-fluid area and cystoid outer-nuclear/Henle's layer area had no effect on either BCVA or microperimetry.

CONCLUSIONS

  Thickening of the neurosensory-fovea, not subfoveal-fluid, had major impact on both BCVA and retinal-sensitivity. The extent of edema in inner retinal layers also had major impact on both of these two functional parameters. Visual-impairment seems to differ depending on the layers involved, thus different types of fluid accumulation may potentially be given varying treatment priorities.

Dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex) for the treatment of pediatric uveitis

PURPOSE

To report our experience using Ozurdex (Allergan, Irvine, CA), a biodegradable intravitreal implant containing of 0.7 mg of dexamethasone approved for use in adults with noninfectious uveitis in adults, in the treatment of pediatric uveitis.

METHODS

The medical records of consecutive patients with noninfectious posterior uveitis who were unresponsive to standard treatment and subsequently received the Ozurdex implant from March 2011 to March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 14 eyes of 11 patients (mean age, 10.1 years; range 4-12) received 22 Ozurdex implants during the study period. Of the 11 patients, 7 had idiopathic intermediate or posterior uveitis, 1 had sympathetic ophthalmia, 2 had juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and 1 had sarcoidosis. All patients were uncontrolled with standard treatment, including topical or sub-Tenon's or systemic corticosteriods and/or immune-modulation. Visual acuity improved after Ozurdex implant in 5 of 8 patients (63%). Intraocular inflammation was controlled or improved after 17 of 22 of implants (12 eyes [77%]). The frequency of topical corticosteroids was decreased and/or discontinued after 18 of 22 implants (12 eyes [82%]). Complications included implant migration into the anterior chamber (4 aphakic eyes), increased intraocular pressure (5 eyes), and progression of a preexisting cataract (1 eye). The uveitis reoccurred in 57% of eyes at 4.3 months (2-7 months) after injection.

CONCLUSIONS

The Ozurdex implant in combination with systemic immunomodulatory therapy resulted in improved visual acuity, control of intraocular inflammation, and a decrease in corticosteroid use. In the majority of eyes the uveitis reoccurred around 4 months after injection. The adverse events in our study are similar to those identified in adult studies.

The frequency and outcome of uveitis in patients with newly diagnosed juvenile idiopathic arthritis in two 4-year cohorts from 1990-1993 and 2000-2003

OBJECTIVES

To retrospectively compare the frequency and outcome of uveitis between two cohorts of patients with newly-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) separated by a 10 year interval.

METHODS

The diagnosis of JIA was made in 239 patients in 1990-1993 and in 240 patients in 2000-2003 by paediatric rheumatologists at the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola, Finland. An ophthalmologist examined all the patients regularly and diagnosed uveitis. The demographics of the patients, type of JIA, frequency, medical treatment and outcome of uveitis were documented.

RESULTS

The main outcome measures were the frequency and outcome of uveitis, the number of complications and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), need of corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive treatment. The frequency of uveitis was higher (25% vs. 18%) in the earlier cohort. The visual outcome was ≥0.5 in all JIA-uveitis patients except one in the earlier cohort. Complications were fewer (21% vs. 35%) and uveitis was milder according to the Standardisation of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) criteria in the later cohort. Remission of uveitis (33% vs. 42%) and arthritis (20% vs. 23%) in JIA-uveitis patients was similar in both cohorts after a follow-up of 6.6 and 5.9 years, respectively. Systemic corticosteroids were more commonly used (25% vs. 7%) in JIA-uveitis patients of the earlier cohort but the use of methotrexate was equal in both cohorts (65% vs. 67%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study with early and aggressive treatment and close monitoring the outcome of JIA-uveitis patients was favourable and visual loss was avoided in most cases.

Behcet's disease: systemic and ocular manifestations

AIM

The aim of this study was to evaluate if patients with Behcet's disease who have ocular involvement have a more severe form of this disease as compared to patients with Behcet's disease alone.

METHODS

A total of 99 patients were included in the study. 76 patients were used as part of the examined group, and 23 patients formed a control group.

RESULTS

The following are the results of examined and control groups, respectively: recurrent oral aphthous ulcers 89.5%, 95.7%; genital ulcers 61.8%, 97.0%; articular involvement 72.4%, 65.2%; vasculitis 81.6%, 60.9%; positive pathergy test 25.0%, 47.8%. Higher frequency of genital ulcerations was noted in control group (P = 0.001). More than two major criteria were met in 100% of the cases. HLA B51 was present in 78.9% of the cases in the examined group and 43.5% of the cases in control group; thus there is significant difference between them (P = 0.001). Visual acuity >0.5 occurred in 76% (examined group). Most frequent ocular manifestations in the examined group were retinal periphlebitis 81.6%, periphlebitis and periarteritis 65%, and serofibrinous uveitis 63.2%. Macular edema as a complication was present in 63.2%. The majority of patients (55.3%) were treated with combined therapy consisting of cyclosporine A and systemic corticosteroids. In 38.2% of patients, laser photocoagulation was used on retinal periphery.

Comparative analysis of induced vs. spontaneous models of autoimmune uveitis targeting the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein

Animal models of autoimmunity to the retina mimic specific features of human uveitis, but no model by itself reproduces the full spectrum of human disease. We compared three mouse models of uveitis that target the interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP): (i) the "classical" model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) induced by immunization with IRBP; (ii) spontaneous uveitis in IRBP T cell receptor transgenic mice (R161H) and (iii) spontaneous uveitis in Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE)(-/-) mice. Disease course and severity, pathology and changes in visual function were studied using fundus imaging and histological examinations, optical coherence tomography and electroretinography. All models were on the B10.RIII background. Unlike previously reported, IRBP-induced EAU in B10.RIII mice exhibited two distinct patterns of disease depending on clinical scores developed after onset: severe monophasic with extensive destruction of the retina and rapid loss of visual signal, or lower grade with a prolonged chronic phase culminating after several months in retinal degeneration and loss of vision. R161H and AIRE(-/-) mice spontaneously developed chronic progressive inflammation; visual function declined gradually as retinal degeneration developed. Spontaneous uveitis in R161H mice was characterized by persistent cellular infiltrates and lymphoid aggregation, whereas AIRE(-/-) mice characteristically developed multi-focal infiltrates and severe choroidal inflammation. These data demonstrate variability and unique distinguishing features in the different models of uveitis, suggesting that each one can represent distinct aspects of uveitis in humans.

[Efficiency evaluation of non-infectious uveitis]

Authors compared clinical and economic effeciency of treatment of the classical corticosteroids therapy and modern immunosuppressive treatment or their combination. Retrospective evaluation carried out in 2012, covering 2006-2011, monitored sample of 27 patients, 16 women and 11 men, 45 eyes with disabilities. The average age in the last year of follow-up monitoring was 30.2, ranging from 14 to 76 years. The mean duration of disease for the whole sample is 16.5 years with a range from 6 to 36 years. Three basic diagnoses were included in investigated group: chronic iridocyclitis in 59 % of eyes, intermediate uveitis in 30 % of eyes and sympathetic ophthalmia in 11 % of eyes. The optimal treatment not be determined, however, combined corticosteroid sparing therapy was the most beneficial to maintain in terms of visual acuity with minimal side effects and cost effectiveness. Successful outcomes of treatment were observed for intermediate uveitis, because the visual acuity improved in nine letetters of ETDRS chart in the study. Satisfactory treatment was proved in chronic iridocyclitis and sympathetic ophthalmia in general, because visual acuity improved in a few letters of ETDRS chart, in the same line as in the beginning of the six-year follow-up. Rounded average annual prize for treatment including pharmacotherapy, outpatient and inpatient care and laboratory follow-up was in chronic iridocyclitis € 990, in intermediate uveitis € 310 and sympathetic ophthalmia € 1550. Pharmacotherapy exceeded the financial appraisal of specialized medical and inpatient care in total cost. Key words: uveitis, corticosteorids, immunosuppression, costeffectivness.

Use of optical coherence tomography and electroretinography to evaluate retinal pathology in a mouse model of autoimmune uveitis

Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) in mice is a model for human autoimmune uveitis. Longitudinal follow-up is only possible by non-invasive techniques, but the information obtained by visual fundus examination can be limited. We therefore evaluated the efficacy of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and electroretinography (ERG) to monitor pathological and functional changes of the retina in vivo. OCT imaging and ERG recording as a measure of visual function were compared with visual fundoscopic imaging and histology findings in the same mouse. Our results showed that OCT imaging of the retina was well correlated with clinical and histological observations in mice during EAU. However, OCT imaging was more sensitive than fundoscopic imaging in detecting the cell infiltrates at the early phase of disease onset. Furthermore, by allowing multi-layer cross- and horizontal-sectional visualizations of retinal lesions longitudinally in a noninvasive fashion, OCT added information that could not be obtained by fundoscopic and histological examinations. Lastly, retinal thickness obtained by OCT imaging provided a key indicator reflecting disease activity, which showed a close association with visual dysfunction as measured by ERG recordings in EAU mice. Thus, our findings demonstrate that OCT is a highly sensitive and reliable technique, and a valuable method for the semi-quantitative evaluation of retinal inflammation in vivo in the mouse.

Retinal blood flow velocity in patients with active uveitis using the retinal function imager

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggest a link between macular edema and retinal blood flow velocity (RBFV). The effects of inflammation in the retinal blood vessels are not clearly understood. We want to evaluate the differences in retinal blood flow velocities of patients with active uveitis and healthy controls using the retinal function imager (RFI) and determine the correlation between retinal blood flow velocity and central macular thickness in uveitis patients.

METHODS

Twenty-eight eyes of 24 patients with active anterior uveitis and 51 eyes of 51 normal control subjects were enrolled. Retinal blood flow velocities evaluated by RFI and central macular thickness evaluated by optical coherence tomography (SLO-OCT) were obtained. Differences among the groups were assessed using Stata statistical software.

RESULTS

Ten eyes had uveitic cystoid macular edema (CME). Median (first quartile, third quartile) venous velocity for uveitic eyes with CME, uveitic eyes without CME, and controls were 2.09 (1.92, 2.44), 2.64 (2.32, 2.86), and 2.82 (2.39, 3.53) mm/s respectively. Median (first and quartile) arterial velocity for uveitic eyes with CME, uveitic eyes without CME, and controls were 3.79 (3.61, 4.09), 3.46 (2.86, 4.12), and 3.93 (3.35, 4.65) mm/s. Uveitic eyes with CME had significantly lower venous velocity than controls (P = 0.044). There was a strong linear relationship between venous velocity and central retinal thickness (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Retinal venous velocities were significantly decreased in eyes with uveitic CME relative to controls. Decreased venous velocity was correlated with increased central retinal thickness in uveitic eyes.

Favourable outcome after cataract surgery with IOL implantation in uveitis associated with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

PURPOSE

Management of uveitic cataract in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is challenging, and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation is controversial. This study investigated the outcome after minimally invasive surgery with IOL implantation.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis after phacoemulsification with in-the-bag IOL implantation was performed in 16 patients (17 operations) with ANA-positive JIA-associated chronic uveitis. In these patients, 25 G capsulectomy and anterior vitrectomy was performed and they received an intravitreal triamcinolone (TA) injection.

RESULTS

  Mean age at uveitis onset was 5 ± 2 years, and surgery was performed at a mean age of 11 ± 2.2 years. Preoperatively, uveitis was inactive in all patients, and visual acuity was logMAR 0.8 ± 0.44; additional uveitis complications were present in all patients, and 15 patients were receiving systemic immunosuppression/biologicals. After surgery (mean follow-up 26.5 ± 11.7 months), presence of cystoid macular oedema, papilloedema, ocular hypertension/glaucoma and hypotony did not increase compared with baseline. There was no significant worsening of AC inflammation (by cell numbers and laser flare values). IOL deposits persisted in four patients, and synechiae developed in eight. The visual acuity was improved (≥2 lines) in all patients (mean logMAR 0.3 ± 0.24). Retrolental membrane formation was not noted. Secondary capsular opacification was observed in seven patients, requiring Nd:YAG capsulotomy in five of them.

CONCLUSIONS

Phacoemulsification and in-the-bag IOL implantation may improve visual outcome in JIA-associated uveitis with minimally invasive surgical technique and intravitreal TA injection. Well-controlled uveitis with appropriate use of topical steroids and systemic immunosuppression or biologicals appears as a perioperative requirement.

Three-year visual and anatomic results of administrating intravitreal bevacizumab in inflammatory ocular neovascularization

OBJECTIVE

To assess the 3-year visual outcome of intravitreal bevacizumab in inflammatory ocular neovascularization.

DESIGN

Experimental study.

METHODS

Retrospective multicenter consecutive case series in 81 patients with inflammatory ocular neovascularization refractory to standard therapy and treated with intravitreal bevacizumab. The outcome measures included improvement of best corrected visual acuity expressed as logarithm of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and paired comparison decrease in central foveal thickness by optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

Mean best corrected visual acuity improved from baseline 0.699 (6/30 or 20/101) (SD 0.434) to 0.426 (6/16 or 20/53) (SD 0.428) (n = 81; p < 0.001), a gain of 2.7 lines (median 3 injections; 81 eyes; 81 patients). Paired comparisons revealed significant central foveal flattening at 3 years of 97.9 μm (n = 51; p < 0.001). In a subgroup analysis, visual improvement was significant for ocular histoplasmosis (p = 0.026); multifocal choroiditis (p = 0.05); serpiginous choroiditis (p = 0.028); ocular toxoplasmosis (p = 0.042); and punctate inner choroidopathy (p = 0.015). In a subgroup analysis, foveal flattening was significant for ocular histoplasmosis (p = 0.004); multifocal choroiditis (p = 0.007); serpiginous choroiditis (p = 0.011); and punctate inner choroidopathy (p = 0.001). Of the group, 5 eyes developed submacular fibrosis, 1 eye retinal pigment epithelial tear, and 1 eye macular ischemia in the context of vasculitis.

CONCLUSION

At 3 years, intravitreal bevacizumab sustained significant visual improvement of 2.7 lines and significant foveal flattening of 98 μm in a wide variety of inflammatory ocular diseases without major complications after a median of 3 injections.