Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant for Acute Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy

A case of recurring acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy successfully treated with intravitreal Ozurdex injection

INTRODUCTION

We describe a case of acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM) that recurred 9 years after the initial event. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of recurrent AEPVM showing recovery of retinal and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) function and good visual outcome following treatment with intravitreal corticosteroid.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 45-year-old Caucasian woman first presented with AEVPM in 2009. Her condition spontaneously resolved and she remained stable over several years. 9 years later, her condition recurred with bilateral reduction in visual acuity. Fundus examination revealed multiple small yellowish subretinal lesions across the posterior pole in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed bilateral cystoid macular oedema (CMO). She was referred for electrophysiology and her electrooculogram findings were in keeping with severe generalised RPE dysfunction bilaterally, with a light peak to dark trough ratio (Arden index) of 110%, comparable to her initial presentation 9 years earlier. She was initially treated with oral steroids with some improvement. However, the maculopathy in the left eye recurred on cessation of oral treatment. A sustained-release 700ug dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex®) was inserted in the left eye to which she responded remarkably, with improvement in visual acuity and complete resolution of the CMO. A year later, at her most recent clinic visit in March 2021, there was no evidence of any further recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Our case demonstrates clinical and imaging findings consistent with recurrence of AEPVM with CMO that has been successfully treated with Ozurdex®.

ACUTE EXUDATIVE POLYMORPHOUS VITELLIFORM MACULOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH PRIMARY EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS INFECTION

PURPOSE

To report a case of acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy associated with primary Epstein-Barr virus infection.

METHODS

Multimodal imaging including color fundus photography, spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, blue-light fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, and indocyanine green angiography.

RESULTS

A 24-year-old otherwise healthy woman presented with an acute bilateral visual disturbance associated with cervical lymphadenopathy. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showed bilateral foveal serous retinal detachment (SRD) with thickening of the ellipsoid zone throughout the posterior pole corresponding to hyperautofluorescence on fundus autofluorescence, faint diffuse hyperfluorescence on fluorescein angiography without leakage, and mild late hyperfluorescence on indocyanine green angiography. Systemic workup revealed an acute Epstein-Barr virus infection. Within several weeks, multifocal SRDs developed in the macula and paramacula. The SRDs then became increasingly hyperautofluorescent with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography showing subretinal hyperreflective material. This vitelliform material then slowly resolved while the thickness of the surrounding ellipsoid zone normalized. The fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography appeared normal at Month 8. Visual acuity was 20/20 in both eyes at all times. No treatment was initiated.

CONCLUSION

Acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy may be associated with an acute Epstein-Barr virus infection. Acutely, multimodal imaging revealed findings consistent with RPE dysfunction and reduced photopigment density. Subsequent accumulation of vitelliform material gradually resolved over an 8-month follow-up.

Acquired Vitelliform-Like Lesion in Uveitis: A case-series

PURPOSE

To study acquired vitelliform-like lesions (AVLL) and their diagnostic and prognostic values in uveitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective case series. The clinical course, diagnostic value, and prognostic significance of AVLL were compared between uveitic patients with AVLL and uveitic patients without AVLL.

RESULTS

Twelve patients (21 eyes) with both uveitis and AVLL (study group) and thirteen patients (24 eyes) without AVLL (control group) were included in the study. Macular leakage (p = .005), the presence of vasculitis (p = .01), the presence of active choroiditis (p = .01), and the presence of CME on OCT (p = .008) were significantly higher in the AVLL group compared to the control group. Best-corrected visual acuity was significantly lower at presentation (p < .001) and the last follow-up visit (p = .014) in the AVLL group.

CONCLUSION

The presence of acquired vitelliform-like lesion can have both a diagnostic (uveitis as a differential diagnosis) and prognostic value in patients with different types of uveitis.

Iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cysts secondary to Hodgkin's lymphoma: A case report

Purpose

To describe a unique case of a white male who presented with reduced visual acuity, growing bilateral iris pigment epithelial (IPE) cysts and granulomatous panuveitis, probably related to Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Observations

The granulomatous panuveitis was reactive to corticosteroids, but the IPE cysts were not. After extensive work-up, the patient was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) mixed cellularity type with cervical and mediastinal lymph node involvement. After starting chemotherapy, the IPE cysts shrank.

Conclusions and importance

To our knowledge, IPE cysts have not been described in HL before. Therefore, this case can contribute to our knowledge of the relation between IPE cysts and hematological malignancy.

Recurrent Episodes with Serous Retinal Detachment and Anterior Uveitis in a Patient Using Nivolumab (Anti -PD-1 Antibody) Therapy: A case report and literature review

Aim: Nivolumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that has recently been widely used for metastatic malignant melanoma. We report a case who developed multiple different ocular immune-related side effects (iRAEs) related to nivolumab.Case Presentation: A 60-year-old man on nivolumab treatment for metastatic malignant melanoma developed a decrease in vision in both eyes several days after the third infusion. The initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was counting fingers in both eyes. Slit-lamp examination revealed no abnormal findings in the anterior segment of both eyes. Posterior segment evaluation showed serous retinal detachment, including the whole macula and inferior retina in both eyes, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed the diagnosis. On en face OCT analysis, hyperautoflorescent dots were noticed on the whole macular region but more intense at the inferior quadrant corresponding to serous retinal detachment. On Fluorescein Angiography (FA), no abnormality was observed. Oral corticosteroid treatment was administered. Subretinal fluid resolved one week after treatment in the right eye and two weeks after treatment in the left eye. BCVA was 20/20 in both eyes at first month of treatment. After that, oral corticosteroid treatment was tapered and stopped at the end of the second month. The patient was followed monthly. Two months after the treatment patient presented with an anterior uveitis episode with mild vision loss. Slit-lamp examination revealed 3+ cells in the anterior chamber and posterior synechia in both eyes. Posterior segment examination was normal. The patient was treated with topical corticosteroid and cycloplegic for two months. Hyperautoflorescent dots formed with serous detachment disappeared six months after the onset of serous detachment, and they did not occur during anterior uveitis episodes.Conclusions: This is the first clinical report of nivolumab-associated ocular iRAEs presenting with recurrent episodes presenting with serous retinal detachment and anterior uveitis. En face OCT imaging may help diagnose and show the activity of the posterior segment manifestation. When managed properly and observed closely following general and ocular conditions, it is possible to held iRAEs and overcome them by oral and/or topical corticosteroid therapy without interrupting the nivolumab.

Acute bilateral serous retinal detachments with spontaneous resolution in a 6-year-old boy

A healthy 6-year-old boy presented with acute bilateral vision loss, multiple serous retinal detachments between the vascular arcades and a thickened choroid. Spontaneous resolution occurred over several weeks. We hypothesize that the clinical constellation in our patient is suggestive of acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM) or might be an atypical presentation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. We propose that it was caused by an autoimmune-mediated activation of inflammatory cells at the level of the choroid, induced by an unknown trigger.

The role of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Paraneoplastic Acute Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy: report of two cases

PURPOSE

To report on two cases with paraneoplastic Acute Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy (AEPVM) within one month after the initiation of nivolumab.

METHODS

Case report RESULTS:: Two patients with metastatic mucosal melanoma were diagnosed with AEPVM within one month after the initiation of the checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. Both cases showed a neurosensory retinal detachment and subretinal hyperautofluorescent material, which persisted after discontinuation of nivolumab and treatment with local and/or systemic corticosteroids. In one case nivolumab was introduced again in a later stage in combination with surgical reduction of the tumor, eventually leading to resolution of the subretinal lipofuscin rich fluid.

CONCLUSION

The development of paraneoplastic AEPVM in melanoma patients can be triggered by treatment with nivolumab. However achieving tumor control, which may involve continuation of nivolumab, could be the key to success.

Idiopathic Acute Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy: Insight into Imaging Features and Outcomes

The authors describe imagiological findings in idiopathic exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy. A 41-year-old woman complained of bilateral blurry vision. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20 bilaterally. Bilateral small serous neurosensory detachments in the fovea were seen at fundoscopy and confirmed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Fluorescein angiography was unremarkable. Indocyanine green angiography presented discrete hyperfluorescent spots on the posterior pole. Later, more bleb-like lesions with a vitelliform appearance and hyperautofluorescent on blue fundus autofluorescence were detected. One year later, a complete resolution of the fluid was observed. To conclude, multimodal evaluation of patients with idiopathic exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy is essential for the correct diagnosis of this disease.

Acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy: To bolus or not to bolus?

Acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM) is a rare bilateral maculopathy characterized by chronic and long-term course. We report a case of AEPVM with an unusual presentation and management in a middle-aged man. He presented with clinical features of bilateral AEPVM accompanied by multiple intraretinal cysts, with a sudden increase of intraretinal fluid and visual function deterioration over a span of few days. Therefore, we administered empirically an intravenous bolus injection of methylprednisolone. One week after, there was a full recovery of visual acuity and cystic intraretinal spaces completely disappeared.

Idiopathic Acute Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy: Clinical Spectrum and Multimodal Imaging Characteristics

PURPOSE

To describe clinical findings in patients with acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (AEPVM).

DESIGN

Retrospective, observational, multicenter case series review.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive patients diagnosed with idiopathic AEPVM.

METHODS

Review of clinical charts, multimodal imaging, electrophysiologic findings, and genetic findings in previously unpublished patients and review of the literature.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Clinical features of idiopathic AEPVM and differential diagnosis.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (age range, 21-74 years) with typical features of AEPVM, including initial localized, serous detachments followed by the development of characteristic yellow-white deposits in the vitelliform space. Over time, this hyperautofluorescent material gravitated within the larger lesions, resulting in typical curvilinear deposits characteristic of later stages. Symptoms and clinical findings lasted from weeks to several years. Some patients showed previously undescribed features such as fluorescein-negative intraretinal cystic changes, choroidal neovascularization, serous retinal elevations mimicking retinal folds, increased choroidal thickness, lack of rapid visual recovery, and recurrence years after complete resolution of initial manifestations.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy can present with a more variable natural course than previously described. Paraneoplastic retinopathy and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy closely resemble AEPVM, necessitating medical and hereditary evaluation to exclude these clinical possibilities. This series of patients with AEPVM expands the clinical spectrum of the disorder, including demographics, clinical manifestations, imaging features, natural course, and visual prognosis.

Nonantibestrophin Anti-RPE Antibodies in Paraneoplastic Exudative Polymorphous Vitelliform Maculopathy

PURPOSE

A previous report demonstrated antibodies to bestrophin in paraneoplastic exudative polymorphous vitelliform maculopathy (PEPVM). Other cases demonstrated antibodies to different proteins in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In this report, serum was analyzed to determine whether a patient with PEPVM and a reduced Arden ratio had developed autoantibodies to human Bestrophin-1 (Best1).

METHODS

Human embryonic kidney 293 cells (HEK293) were transfected with Best1 and stained with an antibody specific to Best1 (E6-6), or patient serum. Staining patterns were compared with those of untransfected cells stained with E6-6, patient serum, control serum, or secondary antibody alone. Western blots were performed using lysed RPE and stained with E6-6, patient serum, control serum, or secondary antibody alone.

RESULTS

Immunofluorescence staining of HEK-293 cells or HEK-293 cells expressing Best1 did not differ between patient and control sera or show a staining pattern consistent with recognition of Best1. Immunoblotting of human RPE lysate with patient serum did not identify Best1 (68 kDa) but did recognize a band at approximately 48 kDa that was absent in blots using control serum.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report of PEPVM with an autoantibody to an approximately 48-kDa RPE protein, but previous reports have demonstrated autoantibodies to other RPE proteins, suggesting that autoantibody formation is an important component of PEPVM.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE

This research emphasizes the role that autoantibodies play in PEPVM. The fact that different autoantibodies appear to cause similar patterns demonstrates the heterogeneity of causes of vitelliform lesions.