Urinary neopterin in idiopathic retinal vasculitis

AIMS—To determine whether urinary neopterin:creatinine (UNC) ratios relate to disease activity in idiopathic retinal vasculitis (RV).
METHODS—18 patients with RV were prospectively recruited into a year long longitudinal study. Patients collected first morning urine samples on a weekly basis and on the same day completed a diary which documented their subjective view of RV activity and any concurrent infection. They were examined in clinic on a 6-8 weekly basis and an objective assessment was made of RV disease activity. 14 healthy controls collected urine samples in the same way.
RESULTS—UNC ratios were significantly higher in patients than in controls (p=0.004, Mann-Whitney U test). UNC ratios were significantly higher when, according to their diaries, the patients had a subjective flare up of RV (p=0.001, Mann-Whitney U test). Subjective increased RV activity occurred more often when the patients had a concurrent infection (p<0.0001, χ² test). There was no significant difference in the UNC ratio between objective clinical relapse and non-relapse of RV. There was moderate agreement between the clinical assessment and patients' subjective impression of RV activity (κ=0.48).
CONCLUSIONS—Higher neopterin levels reflect cell mediated disease that occurs in RV, but UNC ratios are not recommended as a means of monitoring clinical disease activity in RV.

     

The pituitary-adrenal axis in idiopathic retinal vasculitis

AIMS: To determine whether patients with idiopathic retinal vasculitis have altered production of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S), and whether differences in these variables occur between those who are sensitive (SS) and resistant (SR) to steroids. METHODS: 20 patients with retinal vasculitis (off treatment) and 10 control subjects were prospectively recruited. Morning cortisol and DHEA-S levels were measured, and cortisol secretion rates and short synacthen tests (SST) carried out in patients before treatment, when on prednisolone 20 mg/day, and in controls. RESULTS: There were no differences in any variables between patients and controls. For retinal vasculitis patients pretreatment, the SST was lower in SR patients (p=0.02). More of the SR patients had ischaemic retinal vasculitis ( p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cortisol and DHEA-S are not involved in the pathogenesis of retinal vasculitis. SR in retinal vasculitis may be associated with a defective hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.     

Electrophysiology in pseudohistoplasmosis and chronic idiopathic retinal vasculitis.

We used computerized electroretinography (E.R.G.) flash to study 12 patients: five pseudohistoplasmosis (P.S.H.) and seven chronic idiopathic retinal vasculitis (C.I.R.V.), compared with 12 healthy controls. We found a moderate correlation in controls between white computer averaged b-wave amplitude and b-wave obtained with other wavelengths (over 600 nm red, over 550 nm orange, and under 500 nm blue), in scotopic (white/orange r = 0.41, P < 0.05; white/red r = 0.45, P < 0.05; white/blue r = 0.48, P < 0.02) and photopic conditions (white/orange r = 0.6, P < 0.01). For P.S.H. there was a highly significant correlation between white and all wavelengths in photopic (white/orange r = 1, white/red r = 0.96, P < 0.0001) and scotopic conditions (white/orange r = 0.97, P < 0.0001; white/red r = 0.96, P < 0.0001; white/blue r = 0.96). In vasculitis, as in controls, we found no white/red correlation and only in vasculitis we could not find a scotopic white/blue correlation. We conclude that these situations are electrophysiologically different. The closer correlation in P.S.H. suggests more efficient phototransduction and in C.I.R.V. there may also be a rod-selective dysfunction.     

Intravitreal bevacizumab to facilitate vitrectomy in idiopathic ischaemic retinal vasculitis

To describe the use of intravitreal bevacizumab in idiopathic retinal vasculitis prior to vitrectomy and delamination. A young healthy male presented with idiopathic retinal vasculitis. His condition was refractory to panretinal photocoagulation and systemic steroids. The progression of his condition necessitated vitrectomy and delamination. Intravitreal bevacizumab was used to facilitate the surgical procedure, with effective results. Intravitreal bevacizumab can be an adjunct to vitrectomy in idiopathic retinal vasculitis. However, caution must be taken due to its ability to promote fibrosis and to produce further tractional and/or rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Further controlled studies are required to understand its benefits in managing complicated idiopathic retinal vasculitis.     

特发性视网膜血管炎综合治疗的疗效分析

目的分析特发性视网膜血管炎的治疗效果。方法对126例（197眼）确诊为特发性视网膜血管炎的患者进行药物、激光或玻璃体手术治疗进行回顾性分析,包括1年内的视力、光学相干断层扫描（OCT）检查、荧光素眼底血管造影（FFA）结果。结果早期药物治疗110眼,其中视力改善者61眼（55．5％）,需激光或手术治疗者36眼（32．7％）。激光治疗累计71例（119眼）,视力改善者88跟（73．9％）。20眼接受玻璃体手术,视力改善者9眼（45％）。接受激光与玻璃体手术治疗的疗效比较差异有统计学意义（x^2=6．80,P〈0．05）。非玻璃体出血与玻璃体出血者激光治疗后视力改善眼数的差异有统计学意义（x^2=6．53,P〈0．05）。对视力改善者,OCT和FFA均提示黄斑水肿明显改善。结论视网膜激光光凝对特发性视网膜血管炎是重要的治疗手段,不同治疗方法适应证的选择和治疗期间的密切随访对于改善治疗效果至关重要。     

激光扫描眼底荧光血管造影在特发性视网膜血管炎诊断中的应用

病变检查范围扩大到远周边;二者结合,有助于全面、细致观察IRV病变的程度和范围,降低病变漏诊率,对IRV的诊断和治疗提供更多帮助.[眼科新进展 2009;29(9):688-690,693]     

硫唑嘌呤联合糖皮质激素治疗原发性视网膜血管炎

目的探讨硫唑嘌呤联合糖皮质激素对原发性视网膜血管炎（IRV）的疗效。方法回顾性分析23例（37眼）IRV患者硫唑嘌呤联合糖皮质激素治疗前后眼部炎症、视力情况、不良反应、复发率及口服泼尼松（龙）的剂量。结果硫唑嘌呤联合糖皮质激素治疗后所有患者的眼部炎症缓解,62.2%的患眼视力提高,27.0%保持不变,无严重不良反应发生,复发率降低,65.2%的患者应用泼尼松（龙）的剂量减少。结论硫唑嘌呤联合泼尼松（龙）治疗IRV是安全有效的。     

特发性视网膜血管炎、动脉瘤、视神经、视网膜炎综合征临床观察

目的 观察特发性视网膜血管炎、动脉瘤、视神经视网膜炎综合征（IRVAN综合征）的临床特征。 方法 回顾分析3例经全身系统检查、眼底彩色照相以及荧光素眼底血管造影（FFA）等检查确诊的IRVAN综合征患者的临床资料。 结果 3例患者均有特发性视网膜血管炎，而且是视网膜动脉的炎症，视盘及视网膜血管多发性大动脉瘤以及因视盘水肿、视盘周围渗出引起的视神经视网膜炎，2例患者周边部视网膜血管有闭塞区。 结论 IRVAN综合征的临床特征有特发性视网膜血管炎，视网膜和视盘动脉血管管壁上多发性大动脉瘤，以及由于血管炎症和动脉瘤引起的视网膜、视盘渗出、水肿以及由此产生的视神经视网膜炎。(中华眼底病杂志，2007，23：180-183)     

视网膜血管炎的研究进展

视网膜血管炎主要累及青壮年视网膜静脉,动脉累及较少,致盲率较高.积极防治此病意义重大.其发生可能与感染、免疫机制、氧化反应、全身性疾病等有关,通过荧光素眼底血管造影、超声、实验室检查可提高诊断正确率.针对不同的病程,采用药物、激光、玻璃体视网膜手术等治疗措施可改善视功能.就此病的定义、病因、分类、基础研究、诊断及治疗等方面的最新进展进行综述.     

Primary retinal vasculitis

CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 22-year-old Caucasian female who consulted because of a brief episode of blurred vision in her right eye. Funduscopic findings in right eye included marked venous tortuousness and roundish paramacular haemorrhages. A slight venous tortuousness in left eye. Fluorescein angiography showed a segmentary retinal vasculitis affecting medium calibre vessels of the posterior pole. Complementary examinations ruled out any systemic involvement. After therapy with oral corticoesteroids the case evolves to remission. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis of retinal vasculitis is achieved by the performance of ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography. Prior studies have ruled out the need for complementary examinations to find any systemic involvement in patients.     

IRVAN综合征的治疗及其疗效观察

目的：：观察分析不同方法治疗特发性视网膜血管炎、动脉瘤、视神经视网膜炎综合征( idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms and neuroretinitis,IRVAN)的效果。方法：收集经临床确诊的IRVAN综合征患者7例14眼。其中Ⅱ期4眼,Ⅲ期10眼;视力≥0.6者6眼,0.3者4眼,≤0.1者4眼。4眼行视网膜激光光凝无灌注区;Ⅲ期中4眼行全视网膜光凝( PRP ),2眼行雷珠单抗玻璃体腔注射联合PRP,4眼行玻璃体切割术联合PRP。随访6mo~10a,观察视力及眼底病变情况。结果：治疗后视力提高者6眼,视力维持不变者6眼,视力提高后又下降者2眼;其中≥0.6者9眼,0.3~0.6者4眼,≤0.1者1眼。Ⅱ期视力稳定4眼,1眼于随访期内出现无灌注区扩大,补充完成PRP后病情稳定;Ⅲ期中4眼行PRP后视力维持不变2眼,视力提高2眼;2眼给予雷珠单抗联合PRP治疗后视力提高;4眼伴玻璃体积血者,治疗后视力提高,其中2眼病情稳定,2眼反复出现玻璃体积血,视力下降。眼底见毛细血管无灌注区封闭,视盘或视网膜新生血管萎缩。结论：Ⅱ期病变行PRP治疗长期效果好;Ⅲ期病变可根据情况给予单独PRP或联合玻璃体切除术或抗VEGF治疗等,但可出现病情反复。早期行PRP治疗可有效控制病变发展。     

Primary vascular occlusion in IRVAN (idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms, neuroretinitis) syndrome

IRVAN is a rare retinal vascular disease characterized by the presence of aneurysmal dilations along the retinal arteriolar tree. Visual loss occurs from sequelae to proliferative changes or due to severe macular exudation and rarely from secondary vascular occlusion following laser photocoagulation of the aneurysms. We herein report a patient with a primary vascular occlusion in a patient with IRVAN and suggest that such patients may already have a natural predisposition to develop a vascular occlusion.     

Adhesion molecule expression on circulating lymphocytes and monocytes in patients with isolated idiopathic retinal vasculitis

Idiopathic retinal vasculitis (RV) is a disease of unknown aetiology in which immune responses are involved in the pathogenesis of disease. T cells are thought to be important in this disease and there is evidence of peripheral T cell activation in a significant proportion of patients. The authors examined the expression of the leukocyte adhesion molecules (LeuCAMs) CD11a and CD18 on the peripheral T cells and monocytes of 11 patients with active idiopathic retinal vasculitis compared with 11 age, sex and race matched controls. Although the percentage of T cells expressing HLA DR was increased in the patient group the percentage of cells expressing CD11a and CD18 and the density, expressed as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) were no different in the two groups. The expression of CD11a and CD18 on peripheral blood monocytes was also not found to be different between patients and controls. Adhesion between leukocytes and endothelial cells is essential for emigration of leukocytes and their accumulation in disease. Our findings suggest that any upregulation of leukocyte adhesion molecules occurring as part of this process is taking place in response to locally produced cytokines.     

Interferon and retinal vasculitis

The treatment of noninfectious posterior uveitis can lead to severe vision loss, and the first-line conventional treatment includes systemic steroids. When the prednisone doses necessary to control intraocular inflammation are above 0.3mg/day, a therapeutic association is proposed in order to lower the daily prednisone dose. The combined drugs are immunosuppressive or immunomodulative. The side effects of immunosuppressive drugs are oncogenic, infectious, and hematological, and can involve reproductive troubles, associated with specific toxic effects depending on the drug used. Recently adding polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies and the interferons to immunomodulative drugs has been suggested. Interferon alpha has been shown to be effective in Beh?et's disease. The efficacy of interferon needs to be evaluated in other etiologies of retinal vasculitis through randomized studies.     

视网膜血管炎的临床分析

目的探讨视网膜血管炎的患病因素及治疗效果。方法回顾性分析视网膜血管炎患者14例（16只眼）的临床表现、检查、诊治和随访结果。结果所有患者眼后段均有不同程度的炎性改变,经过药物治疗、激光和手术治疗后,最终视力提高共10只眼（62．5％）。结论本病眼底表现复杂,以血管白鞘、视网膜出血和黄斑水肿最为多见,病因尚不明确,诊断以临床表现为主,早期、足量的抗病毒、皮质类固醇激素的应用,以及预防性视网膜光凝、必要联合玻璃体手术是控制病变的关键。