[Ophthalmologic manifestation of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis)]

[The frequency of ophthalmologic manifestations of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) and their relationship to systemic diseases]

AIM

To estimate the frequency of lesions in the organ of vision in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) (Wegener's) and to determine their relationship to systemic diseases.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The retrospective study enrolled 218 patients followed up at the E.M. Tareyev Clinic of Nephrology, Internal and Occupational Diseases, with a diagnosis of GPA. The frequency and association of ophthalmic manifestations with systemic involvement were statistically analyzed using PASW Statistics 18.

RESULTS

The organ of vision was impaired in 48.1% of the patients with GPA. The most common manifestations were orbital space-occupying lesion (22.9%), conjunctivitis/episcleritis (14.7%), dacryocystitis (6.0%), and scleritis (4.6%). Orbital space-occupying lesions occurred more frequently in the local type of the disease (p=0.0003), and, on the contrary, the involvement of the conjunctiva and eyeball was seen in patients with the systemic types of GPA (p=0.02).

CONCLUSION

The findings may suggest that the orbital lesion is an independent manifestation of GPA, which develops more commonly in its local type. Conjunctivitis/episcleritis is, on the contrary, more frequently seen in the active phase of the disease and generally in the involvement of other organs and systems.

[Combination therapy of refractory localized granulomatosis with polyangiitis and orbital involvement]

Granulomatous orbital cellulitis is one of the most common ocular manifestations of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's). The process is often refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy and requires a more radical treatment approach. However, surgical experience with this type of patients is limited. There have been just a few reported cases of orbital decompression in such patients and many authors have doubted the appropriateness of the procedure, since it is associated with a high risk of potentially fatal complications. Our experience demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of orbital mass removal as to pain relief and exophthalmos reduction.

[Refractory form of orbital granulomatosis with polyangiitis: A clinical and morphological study]

Orbital granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis, GPA), which is characterized by granulomatous inflammation with small-vessel vasculitis, can develop in local and generalized forms of the disease. The introduction of current immunosuppressive therapy regimens has improved the prognosis of the disease; however, there are immunosuppressive treatment-refractory forms of GPA, the morphology of which has been inadequately investigated. The paper describes a clinical case of refractory GPA involving the orbit, as evidenced by histological and immunohistochemical examinations. The specific feature of the case is the development of severe fibrosis with the accumulation of mainly type III collagen and the persistence of granulomatous inflammation and productive-destructive vasculitis.