Repeated pulse corticosteroid therapy in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. A case report

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease is an autoimmune bilateral uveitis that occurs in people with genetic sensitivity. Diagnosis was based on the association of ocular inflammatory manifestations such as diffuse choroiditis, with or without anterior uveitis, and extraocular manifestations such as meningismus, tegumentary or auditory findings. Intravenous pulses of corticosteroid followed by oral corticosteroid is the mainstay therapy. We present the case of a woman who showed a first improvement of symptoms with three consecutive daily pulses of corticosteroid, but none during the following oral therapy. A second phase of intravenous pulses of corticosteroid, a Month after the first one, induced great improvement in symptoms and retinal findings, whereas oral therapy seemed not to be effective. This case provides the opportunity for a discussion on the advantages of multiple pulses of corticosteroid at the acute phase of this disease, because of its vascular effects associated with anti-inflammatory effects.