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Clinical spectrum and management options in Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease

Taylor & Francis
Clinical Ophthalmology
Authors:
  • MALLA REDDY MEDICAL COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
  • Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, hyderabad
  • S.D.eye hospital

Abstract and Figures

Purpose The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features, treatment options, and visual outcome of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease patients over a 9-year period. Method A retrospective chart analysis of 32 patients with VKH, from January 2007 to December 2015, at a tertiary care government medical college eye hospital in South India. Results A total of 32 patients were diagnosed with VKH. The mean age at diagnosis was 32.03±8.8 years. There were 24 patients (42 eyes) with acute VKH and eight patients (16 eyes) with recurrent/chronic VKH. The mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity on presentation in the acute VKH group was 5/60 (1.114±0.565) and at last follow-up it was 6/9 (0.225±0.157). Intravenous methyl prednisolone (IVMP) was administered for 3 days to all patients with acute and recurrent VKH, followed by posterior subtenon triamcinolone (40 mg/mL) and oral azathioprine. Conclusion VKH-related uveitis is more common in the female gender in this South Indian population. Posterior uveitis is the most common initial manifestation. Initial aggressive treatment with IVMP, peribulbar long-acting corticosteroids, and immunosuppressives, avoiding side effects of systemic steroids, gives a good visual outcome without recurrences. Cases of unilateral VKH, seen in six patients, are the initial manifestations in the natural course of the disease, which if managed aggressively at the acute stage prevents recurrence in the other eye.
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Clinical Ophthalmology 2017:11 1399–1406
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH
open access to scientific and medical research
Open Access Full Text Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S134977
Clinical spectrum and management options in
Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease
Sikander AK Lodhi
JM Lokabhi Reddy
Venkataratnam Peram
Department of Ophthalmology,
Osmania Medical College/Sarojini
Devi Eye Hospital, Hyderabad,
Telangana, India
Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features, treatment options, and
visual outcome of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease patients over a 9-year period.
Method: A retrospective chart analysis of 32 patients with VKH, from January 2007 to
December 2015, at a tertiary care government medical college eye hospital in South India.
Results: A total of 32 patients were diagnosed with VKH. The mean age at diagnosis was
32.03±8.8 years. There were 24 patients (42 eyes) with acute VKH and eight patients (16 eyes) with
recurrent/chronic VKH. The mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity on presentation in the acute
VKH group was 5/60 (1.114±0.565) and at last follow-up it was 6/9 (0.225±0.157). Intravenous
methyl prednisolone (IVMP) was administered for 3 days to all patients with acute and recurrent
VKH, followed by posterior subtenon triamcinolone (40 mg/mL) and oral azathioprine.
Conclusion: VKH-related uveitis is more common in the female gender in this South Indian
population. Posterior uveitis is the most common initial manifestation. Initial aggressive treat-
ment with IVMP, peribulbar long-acting corticosteroids, and immunosuppressives, avoiding side
effects of systemic steroids, gives a good visual outcome without recurrences. Cases of unilateral
VKH, seen in six patients, are the initial manifestations in the natural course of the disease,
which if managed aggressively at the acute stage prevents recurrence in the other eye.
Keywords: Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease, female, posterior uveitis, retinal detachment,
triamcinolone, azathioprine
Introduction
Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) is a multisystem autoimmune inflammatory disorder
with ophthalmic, auditory, dermatologic, and neurologic manifestations.1 The preva-
lence of this disease varies with ethnicity. VKH characteristically affects pigmented
groups, such as Hispanics, Asians, people from the Middle East, and Asian Indians,
but not the blacks of sub-Saharan African descent.2 The extraocular manifestations
appear in different phases of the disease and show ethnic variations.3–5 VKH disease
accounts for 8% of uveitis in Japan, 2.9% in the Middle East, 1.2% in Europe, and
1%–4% in the USA.6,7 In a study from a referral eye care center in South India, the
prevalence is reported as 1.4%–3.5%.8 VKH is seen more frequently in an adult
population, and women are more frequently affected.9 VKH disease usually manifests
as four distinct clinical phases: prodromal, acute uveitic, convalescent, and chronic
recurrent.1 The prodromal phase features neurologic and auditory manifestations,
including a headache, tinnitus, neck stiffness, and hearing loss. The acute uveitic
phase shows diffuse choroiditis with exudative retinal detachment (RD) and optic
disc swelling. A variable amount of anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation may
be seen. In the acute phase, anterior uveitis seen in some patients usually presents as
low-grade non-granulomatous anterior uveitis, while in the chronic recurrent phase,
Correspondence: Sikander AK Lodhi
“Hill View,” 10-3-300/3, /Sarojini Devi
Eye Hospital, Hyderabad 500028,
Telangana, India
Tel +91 98 4802 0497
Email sikanderlodhi@gmail.com
Journal name: Clinical Ophthalmology
Article Designation: Original Research
Year: 2017
Volume: 11
Running head verso: Lodhi et al
Running head recto: Clinical spectrum and management options
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S134977
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patients present with recurrent granulomatous anterior
uveitis. “Sunset glow fundus,” due to depigmentation of the
choroid, is the hallmark of the convalescent phase. Recurrent
episodes of anterior uveitis are characteristic of the chronic
recurrent phase.
In a study by Rao et al, in an ethnically and geographically
diverse group of patients, it is revealed that there are two
clinical signs which are highly specific to VKH – exudative
RD during the acute phase and sunset glow fundus during
the chronic phase of the disease.3
Imaging technology has allowed a better visualization
and understanding of the disease process in VKH. The first
international workshop on VKH disease proposed criteria to
make diagnosis.2 According to the revised diagnostic criteria,
VKH disease can be complete, incomplete, and probable. All
the three categories have the absolute requirement of bilateral
eye disease; however, a unilateral or delayed involvement of
the other eye can occur in rare cases.10–13 Complete disease
represents the involvement of ocular, neurologic/auditory,
and integumentary systems. Incomplete disease is an eye
disease with either neurological/auditory or integumentary
signs. Probable VKH is uveitis consistent with VKH, without
any extraocular manifestations.
Multiple treatment regimens have been tried for VKH
disease, including intravenous, oral, regional corticosteroid,
cyclosporine, antimetabolites, and alkylating agents.14
Improper and inadequate immunosuppressive therapy during
initial-onset acute VKH disease will lead to chronic recurrent
VKH disease manifesting as granulomatous anterior uveitis
with sunset glow fundus. Vision threatening complications
like secondary glaucoma and cataract occur in the chronic
recurrent phase. Early and high-dose systemic corticosteroids,
followed by slow tapering, are mandatory to suppress the
inflammation in the acute posterior uveitis stage. Adding
immunomodulatory agents can improve the outcome and
can reduce the risk of integumentary involvement. High-dose
corticosteroids are associated with side effects such as hyper-
glycemia, hypertension, immunodeficiency, and secondary
glaucoma. Posterior subtenon triamcinolone (PST) acetonide
injection is a safe and more convenient treatment compared
with systemic steroid administration, avoiding the systemic
side effects and patient compliance. Most of the recurrences
of RD and inflammation are due to noncompliance or a very
rapid tapering of systemic corticosteroids.
The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic
characteristics, clinical features, efficacy of subtenon triamci-
nolone acetonide injection with immunomodulatory therapy
(ITP), and visual outcome in VKH patients referred to a
medical college tertiary eye care center in South India.
Methods
This is a retrospective, nonrandomized, noncomparative
interventional study. Patients diagnosed with VKH disease,
attending the retina/uvea outpatient department of a medical
college tertiary eye hospital, between January 2007 and
December 2015, were included in the study. Informed con-
sent was obtained from all the patients included in the study,
and the study adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of
Helsinki. Institutional ethics committee (Ethics Committee
of Osmania Medical College) approval was obtained for a
retrospective chart review. Retrospective chart review was
performed for 32 patients (58 eyes) diagnosed with VKH
for demographic data, clinical signs, investigations, treat-
ment received, complications, and visual outcome (Tables 1
and 2). All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic
examination, including measurement of best-corrected visual
acuity (BCVA) with Snellen charts, applanation tonometry,
slit lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, and fundus photog-
raphy. Ultrasound examination of the eye and fundus fluo-
rescein angiography (FFA) were performed in all the cases,
and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed
whenever possible. A general examination was done to look
for any integumentary findings. The clinical presentation and
its confirmation on FFA formed the basis for the diagnosis of
VKH disease. Previous history of any trauma was ruled out in
all the cases. Investigations were done to rule out tuberculosis
(Mantoux test, chest X-ray) and syphilis (venereal disease
research laboratory [VDRL] test). Revised diagnostic criteria
for VKH disease by Read et al2 were used for classifying the
cases into complete, incomplete, or probable VKH. Cases
with unilateral involvement were diagnosed to have VKH
Table 1 Demographic and clinical prole
Variables Number
Mean age (years) 31.16 (range 16–60)
Gender
Male
Female
13 (40.6)
19 (59.37)
Laterality
Bilateral 26 (81.25)
Anatomical classication
Panuveitis
Posterior uveitis
16 eyes (27.6)
42 eyes (72.4)
Clinical types
Probable
Incomplete
Complete
47 eyes (81.03)
7 eyes (12.06)
4 eyes (6.9)
Course
Acute
Chronic
Recurrent
24 (42.85)
7 (12.5)
8 (14.28)
Note: Data presented as n (%), unless otherwise stated.
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Clinical spectrum and management options
when all the characteristic ocular manifestations were present
because unilateral or delayed involvement of the other eye
can occur in rare cases. A uniform protocol was followed
in treating all the cases. All acute cases and recurrent cases
on presentation (31 patients) were treated with intravenous
methyl prednisolone (IVMP) 1 g for 3 days followed by PST
acetonide 40 mg/mL in the affected eyes. Simultaneously,
oral azathioprine 1–2 mg/kg was started and continued for
6–9 months. Patients were followed-up at monthly intervals.
PST was used in 44 eyes. PST was repeated after 3 months,
if required. Continuing inflammation or recurrence was
monitored by BCVA, signs of inflammation, and OCT. PST
was required to be repeated in 4 eyes. In our earlier cases
(not included in this study), we used IVMP followed by oral
corticosteroids for 1 year. The compliance with oral steroids
was very poor, and therefore, the strategy was modified
to use PST combined with the immunosuppressive agent
azathioprine. Patients with anterior segment inflammation
were treated with topical corticosteroids and cycloplegics
in addition to systemic treatment. Any case that had raised
intraocular pressure (IOP) was managed with medical ther-
apy. Use of azathioprine was monitored by complete blood
count and liver function tests. Complications such as cataract,
glaucoma, and choroidal neovascular membrane were noted,
and any extraocular manifestations were recorded in addition
to chronic stage features such as sunset glow fundus and
chorioretinal atrophy patches. For statistical analysis, visual
acuity data were converted to logMAR values. The data
were entered in an Excel 2007 spreadsheet and statistically
analyzed with SPSS software.
Results
A total of 32 patients were seen during the study period.
The average age of the patients was 31.16 years (range
16–60 years). There were 13 male and 19 female patients
(Table 1). The average follow-up was 18 months (range
2–84 months). All patients were from South Indian states
of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Twenty-six patients had
a bilateral presentation and six patients had only unilateral
VKH. The type of VKH, according to diagnostic criteria,
was classified as complete in 2 patients, incomplete in
5 patients, and probable in 25 patients. We have classified
our patients into two groups depending on the stage of the
disease at presentation (Table 2). At presentation, there were
24 patients (75%) with acute VKH and 8 patients (25%) with
chronic recurrent VKH disease. This amounts to 42 eyes
with acute VKH and 16 eyes with chronic recurrent VKH,
and all patients with unilateral VKH were in the acute stage.
Comparisons between acute and chronic VKH with respect
to clinical features at presentation, clinical evaluation, and
follow-up are presented in Table 2. Meningism and headache
were the most common systemic associations in the acute
stage (Table 3). Three patients in chronic VKH had alopecia
Table 2 Comparison of results between acute and chronic
recurrent Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH)
Characteristics Clinical presentation
Acute VKH Chronic/
recurrent
VKH
P-value
Patients (n) 24 (75%) 8 (25%)
Eyes (n) 42 (72.4%) 16 (27.6%)
Mean age (years) 30.54±6.64 36.5±12.96 0.247
Gender: female 13 (54.16%) 6 (75%) 0.299
Initial visual acuity
Mean BCVA (logMAR) 1.1148±0.56576 1.3125±0.57140 0.248
6/12 or better 5 (11.9)
6/18 to 6/36 6 (14.3) 3
6/60 or worse 31 (73.8) 13
Final visual acuity
Mean BCVA (logMAR) 0.2257±0.15756 0.8138±0.63316 0.002
6/12 or better 38 3
6/18 to 6/36 4 9
6/60 or worse 4
Late complications
Glaucoma 8 1 0.218
Cataract 4 14 #0.0001
CNVM 3 0.004
Band keratopathy
Recurrences (n, %) 4 11 #0.0001
Notes: Data presented as n (%), unless otherwise stated. For both categories mean
visual acuity is given.
Abbreviations: BCVA, best-corrected visual acuity; CNVM, choroidal neovascular
membrane.
Table 3 Incidence of systemic and ocular manifestations
Systemic manifestations Number (%)
Headache 15 patients (47)
Meningismus 5 patients (15)
Alopecia 3 patients (9)
Hearing disturbance 3 patients (9)
Poliosis 3 patients (9)
Tinnitus 2 patients (6)
Vitiligo 1 patient (3)
Anterior segment manifestations
Circumciliary congestion 6 eyes (10.3)
Keratic precipitates (KPs)
Fine KPs
Mutton fat KPs
10 eyes (17)
4 eyes (7)
Iris nodules 6 eyes (10.3)
Flare 10 eyes (17)
Cells 10 eyes (17)
Posterior segment manifestations
Vitreous cells 38 eyes (65)
Disc hyperemia 55 eyes (95)
Disc edema 26 eyes (45)
Exudative retinal detachment 52 eyes (91)
Sunset glow fundus 24 eyes (41)
Dalen–Fuchs nodules 17 eyes (29)
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Lodhi et al
and poliosis, and three patients had a hearing disturbance.
Clinically, 16 eyes presented with panuveitis and 42 eyes pre-
sented with posterior uveitis. Slit lamp examination showed
keratic precipitates in 14 eyes and flare and cells in 10 eyes.
All the 24 cases in the acute stage presented with posterior
segment manifestations, and the most common finding was
multiple serous RDs in the posterior pole in all the 42 eyes.
Vitreous cells were seen in 38 eyes. Disc hyperemia was seen
in 55 eyes and disc edema in 26 eyes. Sunset glow fundus
was seen in 24 eyes (which includes chronic VKH cases on
presentation and acute VKH cases in convalescence on fol-
low-up; Table 3). FFA (Figures 1–3) performed in all patients
(except one) showed multiple pinpoint hyperfluorescent
leaks in 54 eyes and late pooling in serous RDs in 42 eyes.
Late disc staining was seen in 46 eyes. 10 MHz ultrasonog-
raphy showed a diffuse choroidal thickening in all the acute
cases, which was most marked in the juxta papillary region
(Figures 1 and 2). OCT in acute cases showed multilobular
RDs, subretinal septa, retinal pigment epithelium undula-
tions, and choroidal thickening (Figures 1 and 2).
Twenty-five cases of acute VKH were treated with the
above-mentioned strategy. Four cases were lost to follow-up
after 2 months. Twenty cases completed follow-up from
6 months to 5 years. One case had multiple recurrences
over a follow-up period of 1.5 years and was treated with
a combination of immunosuppressives (azathioprine and
methotrexate). We found six cases of unilateral VKH in this
study. All these cases clinically showed uniocular multiple
serous detachments in the posterior pole, with angiographic
features of choroidal delay, multiple pinpoint hyperfluo-
rescent leaks, and pooling in the serous elevations by late
phases. Ultrasound examination showed choroidal thickening
in all these cases. All these cases were treated aggressively
with IVMP, PST acetonide, and immunosuppression with
Figure 1 (A) A 30-year-old female. BCVA 20/200 in both eyes. Serous retinal detachments, pinpoint leaks, disc hyperourescence, and pooling of dye. (B) Ultrasonography
shows choroidal thickening and serous retinal detachment. (C) OCT – shows large serous retinal detachments with subretinal septae and RPE undulation. (D) Two and a
half months after initiating treatment, the retina is reattached. BCVA is RE 20/20 and LE 20/25.
Abbreviations: BCVA, best-corrected visual acuity; RPE, retinal pigment epithelium; OCT, optical coherence tomography; RE, right eye; LE, left eye.
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Clinical spectrum and management options
Figure 2 A 25-year-old female with unilateral VKH. (A) RE shows serous retinal detachment and optic nerve head hyperemia. LE fundus is normal. FFA shows RE late leakage
and pooling of the dye. (B) RE OCT demonstrates the presence of subretinal uid and septae, LE OCT is normal. (C) Ultrasonography reveals RE showing a diffuse choroidal
thickening and LE showing a normal posterior segment.
Abbreviations: BCVA, best-corrected visual acuity; OCT, optical coherence tomography; FFA, fundus uorescein angiography; VKH, Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada; RE, right
eye; LE, left eye.
azathioprine for 6–9 months. One other case presented with
unilateral VKH in the right eye (RE) and treated with IVMP
followed by PST was lost to follow-up. After 3 years, she
presented with acute VKH in the left eye (LE) with BCVA
RE 6/24 and LE 6/60. She was treated with the same pro-
tocol; 6 months later, she had BCVA RE 6/24 and LE 6/9
(Figure 2). Once the inflammation has subsided, RDs have
resolved, and with no disc hyperemia, the fundus had a near
normal appearance in 21 patients and sunset glow fundus
in 6 patients of acute VKH and 6 patients with chronic and
recurrent uveitis.
In this series, visual acuity of 6/12 or better was main-
tained in 38 eyes that presented with acute VKH. Of these,
21 eyes had a BCVA better than 6/12 after at least 1-year
follow-up without recurrences (Table 2). Chronic and
recurrent VKH cases had a poor visual outcome, ,6/60.
Complicated cataract was seen in 14 eyes, one chronic VKH
patient had raised IOP, and eight patients with acute VKH had
secondary glaucoma after PST injection. All these cases were
managed with medical therapy. The choroidal neovascular
membrane was seen in 3 eyes and chronic vitritis in 6 eyes
of chronic VKH cases (Table 2).
Discussion
This retrospective study investigated patients with VKH
disease over a 9-year period. Demographic features in the
present case series are almost similar to those studied in
other countries.1,7,8,15–18 Most of the studies show female
preponderance. In accordance with the published literature,
we also found that 59.37% of the cases were females. In this
series, majority of the cases presented with posterior uveitis
in the acute stage, and therefore, as per the revised diagnostic
criteria, 25 patients (78.12%) are in the probable category.
Compared to studies from Japan,19,20 we have a higher propor-
tion of probable VKH. A study by Arevalo et al from Saudi
Arabia also shows a higher proportion (58.4%) of probable
VKH cases.21 Extraocular signs such as poliosis, alopecia,
vitiligo, and hearing loss develop during the course of VKH
disease and are seen mainly in the chronic stage of the dis-
ease.4 In a multicenter study by Rao et al, in ethnically and
geographically diverse study groups, exudative RD was the
most statistically significant feature of the acute disease.3
They report that robust positive and negative predictive
values and likelihood ratios of various documented clinical
findings indicate that in acute uveitis, the presence of bilateral
exudative RDs in a patient with bilateral intraocular inflam-
mation strongly suggests acute VKH. In the present study,
exudative RD and disc hyperemia were the most common
posterior segment findings in the acute cases, and sunset glow
fundus was the most common finding in chronic/convalescent
cases. Ancillary testing supports the clinical diagnosis of
VKH disease. FFA performed in all cases showed multiple
hyperfluorescent pinpoint leaks in 56 eyes (96.55%) and
late pooling in serous RDs in 54 eyes (93.1%). Rao et al,
in their multiethnic diverse study, reported one or more
angiographic findings (choroidal delay, multifocal leaks,
subretinal pooling of dye) in 83% of VKH cases.3 Another
test that supported the diagnosis was ultrasound examination,
performed in all cases, which showed choroidal thickening
in all acute cases.
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To the best of our knowledge, the number of cases of
unilateral VKH seen in this study is more than that reported
by any other study (Figures 2 and 3). As has been observed
by Rao et al,3 from multiple papers proposing or evaluating
diagnostic criteria for VKH,2,22,23 a definitive set of criteria has
not been universally agreed upon. This is mainly because of
the multiphasic nature of VKH, with varying clinical features
in different stages of the disease as well as due to ethnic
variation in disease manifestations. What we are seeing as
unilateral VKH may be the early phase of the disease which
if not treated aggressively in the initial stages may occur in
the other eye in due course. All the six cases of unilateral
VKH did not have a recurrence because of early aggressive
and prompt treatment and continuation of immunosuppres-
sive therapy for a sufficient period of time. The one case of
unilateral VKH that was lost to follow-up and was not suf-
ficiently treated in the early phase had a recurrence in the
other eye after 3 years.
Prompt and aggressive treatment with corticosteroids
with slow tapering over a period of 6 months is recom-
mended to avoid recurrence and complications.24,25 Sys-
temic corticosteroids are associated with possible side
effects like hyperglycemia, hypertension, gastritis, and
rising IOPs. Compliance with the use of systemic corti-
costeroids is usually poor. Recurrences are usually due
to early and abrupt discontinuation of corticosteroids.
Rubsamen and Gass reported recurrences in 43% and 52%
of their patients occurring in the first 3 and 6 months of
the disease, associated in most cases with rapid tapering
of corticosteroids.26 Ocular manifestations of VKH can be
Figure 3 (A and B): Unilateral VKH. A 31-year-old female patient with BCVA RE 20/400 and LE 20/20 shows multiple serous retinal detachments, with multiple pinpoint
leaks and subretinal pooling of dye. LE shows normal fundus with normal FFA. (C) Follow-up after 40 months shows both eyes normal fundus with BCVA RE 20/25 and
LE 20/20.
Abbreviations: BCVA, best-corrected visual acuity; FFA, fundus uorescein angiography; RE, right eye; LE, left eye.
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Clinical spectrum and management options
managed by local administration of steroids.27–29 Moreker
and Lodhi, from their study on the use of intravitreal tri-
amcinolone acetonide (IVTA) in VKH, have concluded that
IVTA, when used as an adjuvant, can induce remission in
the acute stage of VKH and help avoid the long-term use
of systemic corticosteroids.27 Hosoda et al demonstrated
that isolated PST is a useful primary treatment option for
patients with acute VKH without systemic disorders. In
77.8% of patients, they achieved complete resolution of
serous RD without recurrence after PST therapy.30 Paredes
et al31 reported their outcomes in 13 patients with VKH
disease and suggested that immunomodulatory therapy as
a first-line therapy for VKH is associated with a superior
outcome when compared to steroid as monotherapy or with
delayed addition of immunomodulatory drugs.
To overcome the problem of compliance, side effects, and
recurrences, we have used a combination of PST acetonide
and systemic immunosuppression with azathioprine. Aza-
thioprine is shown to be effective for the treatment of chronic
uveitis, usually in combination with corticosteroids.32–34
Azathioprine may show some adverse side effects, such
as myelosuppresson, and serious side effects are unusual
with the low dose (1–2 mg/kg/day) compared to high dose
of azathioprine. A visual acuity of 6/12 or better was main-
tained in 44 eyes that presented with acute VKH that had no
recurrences in the follow-up. Periocular injection of depot
steroids likely induces the IOP to rise. In our study, 8 eyes of
four patients showed ocular hypertension (IOP .21 mmHg)
after the injection. The IOP was controlled by topical
medications only, and no additional glaucoma treatment was
required. In a recent review by Rao et al it was concluded that,
“The initial treatment is with high dose corticosteroids, then
steroid-sparing therapy, with a focus on getting the inflam-
matory response under control to prevent the development of
sequelae such as a sunset glow fundus, cataracts, glaucoma,
and choroidal neovascularization.”14
Conclusion
This study shows that in acute VKH, initial aggressive corti-
costeroid treatment with IVMP, followed by peribulbar depot
steroids in combination with systemic immunosuppression,
is effective in treating the ocular inflammation with rare
recurrences.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
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... The mean age of presentation of VKH has been found to be between 32 to 50 years (range 20-65 years) across various reported case series with a strong female preponderance [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Our patient was a young male presenting at 20 years of age. ...
... Our patient was a young male presenting at 20 years of age. The clinical presentation is usually bilateral [9], even though some unilateral presentations have been described [4]. Our patient also presented with bilateral ocular involvement. ...
... Many case reports and case series suggest that posterior segment manifestations may be the initial presenting features of VKH. Posterior uveitis [4], serous or exudative retinal detachment, or disc oedema were likely presentations when the patient presented in the acute phase, while a depigmented sunset-glow fundus was the characteristic presentation of the chronic phase [8,9]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH) is an uncommon multi-system autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by bilateral granulomatous panuveitis with serous retinal detachment accompanied by neurological, auditory, and cutaneous manifestations like headache, hearing loss, vitiligo, and poliosis. It has a female preponderance, usually in middle age. We report the case of a 20-year-old male who presented to us with rapidly progressive visual loss accompanying granular panuveitis, complicated cataract, and a mixed mechanism neovascular glaucoma with acute angle closure. He was treated for IOP control and underwent aggressive immunosuppression and, later, bilateral laser iridotomies. It wasn't until one month after the initial presentation that he presented with vitiligo and poliosis of the eyebrows and eyelashes, clinching the diagnosis of VKH syndrome. This case highlights the diagnostic challenge faced due to acute neovascular glaucoma being the initial presenting feature of VKH; hitherto not documented before, although acute angle closure glaucoma or crisis has occasionally been reported at presentation; the classical VKH presentation being an acute posterior segment uveitis or less commonly, a chronic, recurrent panuveitis presenting with/ without complications. This case underlines the importance of considering VKH syndrome in a patient with bilateral granulomatous panuveitis, as dermatological involvement can emerge later in the disease course, by which time vision might have already been compromised significantly.
... Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is a multisystemic autoimmune disorder with ophthalmic, auditory, integumentary and neurologic manifestations [1,2]. The main ocular finding of this disease is bilateral, chronic and granulomatous panuveitis [1]. ...
... VKH disease most frequently occurs in the adult population and women are more affected than men [2]. In Brazil, VKH disease is the most common cause of noninfectious panuveitis [3]. ...
... "Sunset glow fundus" due to the depigmentation of choroid is a hallmark of the convalescent phase. Recurrent episodes of anterior uveitis are characteristic of the chronic recurrent phase [2]. ...
Article
Background: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease is a multisystemic autoimmune disorder that is characterized by bilateral, chronic and granulomatous panuveitis. A placoid-like presentation of this condition is unusual and it can mimic other causes, such as syphilis. Complete evaluation and early treatment might improve visual outcome and decrease number of recurrent episodes. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 21 year-old female patient with progressive low visual acuity in both eyes and a placoid-like lesion associated with serous retinal detachment in the fundus exam. Optical coherence tomography showed a highly reflective subretinal membranous structure and subretinal fluid. Fluorescein angiography showed multiple areas of pinpoint leakage and optic disk staining. Other ancillary exams, such as serology and head/orbit computerized tomography were all normal. Cerebrospinal fluid revealed pleocytosis. The diagnosis of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada was made and prompt treatment with high-dose systemic corticosteroid was started. The patient had a complete recovery of her visual acuity and has had no recurrence of inflammation so far. Conclusion: This article describes an unusual presentation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease evaluated with multimodal imaging and also highlights the benefits of the early diagnosis and prompt management.
... Patients' response to treatment with a combined regimen comprising immunosuppressants and steroids that were started early was found to be better. In the four studies on combined regimens (steroids with immunosuppressants) in our literature review, several different immunosuppressants were administered, and all had similarly good results [14][15][16][17]. This suggests that the choice of immunosuppressants does not matter as much as the choice of giving corticosteroids with immunosuppressant combined therapy. ...
... Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) is a systemic autoimmune disease, affecting the melanin-containing cells, mainly in the eyes, meninges, ear, and skin. It accounts for 6-8% of the Asian population [1,2], with adult females predominant [3,4]. In Japan, 6.8-9.2% of uveitis cases are due to VKH [9]. ...
Article
Aims: We present the clinical spectrum, the initial clinical presentation with management trends in treating 14 Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease cases in a tertiary center in the Northern part of Malaysia. Case series: There were 14 cases of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease retrospectively reviewed over five years (from 2015 to 2020). The mean age at presentation was 37.7 years (range 21–64 years), with female predominance (85.7%). All cases presented with acute uveitic stage and bilateral eye involvement. Of them, 11 (78.6%) were probable VKH, and three (21.4%) were incomplete VKH. All patients attended with acute panuveitis at first presentation. The main posterior segment involvement was disc edema in 57.1% (16 out of 28 eyes) and exudative retinal detachment (ERD) in 35.7% (10 out of 28 eyes). Most of them presented with blindness (3/60 and worse) and moderate visual impairment (6/18–6/60); 35.71% each, followed by mild visual impairment (6/12-6/18), and severe visual impairment (6/60–3/60); 7.1% each. Ten patients (71.4%) required combination second-line immunomodulatory treatment during subsequent visits, and only four patients (28.6%) responded well to corticosteroid therapy. Most of the cases achieved no visual impairment (64.3%), followed by mild visual impairment (21.4%) and moderate visual impairment (14.3%), and none were severe or blind at the end of follow-up. Conclusion: VKH is a potentially blinding illness if there is inadequate control of the disease in the acute stage. Most of our patients achieved good visual outcomes with early immunomodulatory treatment and systemic corticosteroids.
... VKH is seen in adults, commonly women (Mota and Santos, 2010 (Beniz et al, 1991). VKH may have variable anterior and posterior segment inflammation but it primarily begins in the choroid so a prompt diagnosis and treatment may completely prevent an anterior and vitreous reaction (Lodhi, Reddy and Peram, 2017). Our case is unique since it has signs and symptoms typical of VKH but the involvement is unilateral whereas VKH is conventionally described as a bilateral disease. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction: Unilateral uveo-meningeoenchephalitic syndrome is a relatively rare entity. Our case highlights the importance of keeping this entity in mind when a unilateral picture suggestive of Vogt Koyanagi Harada syndrome crops up. Case: A 34-year-old male came with chief complaints of blurring of vision in the right eye since two days with a prodrome of intense headache and redness in the right eye. On examination, the vision in the right eye was counting fingers close to face and 20/20 in the left eye. Clinical examination suggested unilateral uveo-meningeoenchephalitic syndrome which was confirmed on multimodal imaging. Observations: This case highlights the fact that though uveo-meningeoenchephalitic syndrome is bilateral, by definition; the initial presentation may still be unilateral and a prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent the involvement of the other eye. Conclusion: Any case presenting with signs of symptoms suggestive of Vogt Koyanagi Harada should be treated as Vogt Koyanagi Harada even though the initial presentation may be unilateral. A prompt diagnosis and early treatment will ensure that the other eye does not get involved. Early Vogt Koyanagi Harada may just present with choroidal hyperpermeability and multiple septate pockets of SRF without any vitreous cells or anterior segment inflammation.
... Herbort et al. recommended to initiate dual systemic steroid with IMT within 2 to 3 weeks of acuteonset VKH in order to achieve an improved outcome and preventing chronic evolution to "sunset glow fundus" [5]. Various management regimes have been described for VKH disease including local, oral, intravenous corticosteroids, ciclosporine, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) [6][7][8][9]. Our colleagues in Saudi Arabia have found that MMF is particularly effective in VKH as it leads to significantly improved vision with reduced recurrence of inflammation and chronic complications [10]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Background Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is an idiopathic autoimmune disease which targets melanin-containing tissues such as the uvea, meninges, ear and skin. This typically presents in the eye with acute findings of granulomatous anterior uveitis, diffuse choroidal thickening, multiple focal areas of sub-retinal fluid and, in severe cases, optic nerve involvement with bullous serous retinal detachment can occur. Early initiation of treatment has been advocated to prevent progression to the chronic stage of the disease, which can result to a sunset glow fundus with devastatingly poor visual outcome. Treatment is usually initiated with corticosteroids followed by an early introduction of immunosuppressive treatment (IMT) to achieve immediate response after disease presentation, although the choice of IMT for VKH can vary. Main Findings We conducted a retrospective case-series to investigate the management trend of treating VKH over a 20-year period. Twenty-six patients were included and we found a shift from steroid monotherapy to combined IMT/low-dose steroid for the management of acute initial-onset of VKH in the last 10 years. Our average time from diagnosis to initiation of IMT was 2.1 months. 81% (21 of 26 patients) of our patients treated with combined IMT/steroid were able to achieve disease stability with significant good visual outcome at 24 months (Median VApre-IMT = 0.3 Logmar vs VApost-IMT = 0.0 Logmar, p = 0.0001). MMF monotherapy was the most common IMT used and it was well-tolerated by our patients. Even so, 50% of our patients who were treated with MMF did not achieve disease control. We then performed a literature review to identify any IMT which could be superior in the treatment of VKH. We also share our experience (where applicable) on the various treatment options found from the literature review. Short conclusion Our study found that patients with VKH who were treated with combined IMT/low-dose steroids achieved significantly better visual improvement at 24 months compared to steroid monotherapy. We frequently chose MMF and this appears to be well tolerated by our patients. Since its introduction, anti-TNF agents are increasingly becoming a popular choice of treatment for VKH as these have been shown to be safe and effective. However, more data is required to provide evidence that anti-TNF agents can be used as first-line treatment and as monotherapy.
... [25] ERD was the most commonly encountered clinical sign on fundus examination that was present in 81.48% of our studied eyes, and vitritis was present in 18.52% of the eyes. The incidences of ERD and vitritis in VKH patients vary significantly within literature reports according to the population and the clinical stage of presentation, [4,19,21,[24][25][26] ranging from 37.5% to 95% for ERD, and from 19.4% to 76% for vitritis. The most common macular pathology encountered in our sample was ME (11.11%), which is in line with a recent large analysis of macular abnormalities in eyes with VKH in which ME represented 60.87% of detectable abnormalities. ...
Article
Full-text available
BACKGROUND: Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease is a vision-threatening inflammatory disorder that is challenging in diagnosis and management. METHODS: Retrospective, record-based analysis of 54 eyes belonging to 27 adult patients that fulfilled the revised diagnostic criteria for VKH between January 2018 and January 2021. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data on presentation and during follow-up visits were collected for each patient. Available imaging studies included B-scan ultrasonography (B-scan US), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and OCT angiography (OCT-A). RESULTS: The female-to-male ratio was 2.38:1. Nineteen patients (70.37%) presented during an initial attack, while eight patients (29.63%) presented during recurrence. The most commonly presenting sign in the posterior segment was exudative retinal detachment (44 eyes, 81.48%). B-scan US was utilized in 4 eyes (7.41%), OCT was utilized in 48 eyes (88.89%) with the most common finding being subretinal fluid (43 eyes, 89.58%), FFA was performed in 39 eyes (72.22%) with the most common finding being punctate hyperfluorescence and late dye pooling (33 eyes, 84.62%), and OCT-A was performed in 30 eyes (55.56%), in which choriocapillaris flow deficit that correlated with disease activity was detectable in 25 eyes (83.33%). Improved visual acuity was noted in 85% of the eyes that were followed up. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and treatment of VKH result in favorable visual outcome. Multimodal imaging, with the recent addition of OCT-A, provides complementary data that could serve in diagnosis and monitoring.
... Это вторичное воспаление проявляется как тяжелый двусторонний диффузный гранулематозный генерализованный увеит, обычно проявляющийся двусторонней серозной экссудативной отслойкой сетчатки (чаще мультифокальной), папиллитом, возникновением узелков Далена -Фукса (небольших отграниченных точечных участков атрофии на периферии сетчатки), передним увеитом. В острой фазе передний увеит, наблюдаемый у некоторых пациентов, часто проявляется как негранулематозный процесс [64,65]. Эта стадия сопровождается внеглазными проявлениями: двусторонней нейросенсорной тугоухостью, менингитом, плеоцитозом спинномозговой жидкости. ...
Article
Full-text available
In the previous part of the review clinical and diagnostic aspects of some non-infectious uveitis in patients with immunoinflammatory diseases were discussed. In this part we proceed the discussion of ocular manifestations of a number of other immunoinflammatory conditions. In addition to uveitis associated with spondyloarthropathies, rheumatoid arthritis, Still’s disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic sarcoidosis described in the previous part, ocular manifestations are also common in systemic vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Vogt—Koyanagi—Harada syndrome. Despite the numerous diagnostic schemes and therapy algorithms developed to date, much in the pathogenesis of uveitis associated with immuno-inflammatory diseases remains unclear. The need to develop personalized and multidisciplinary approaches for the treatment and diagnosis of non-infectious uveitis in numerous systemic immunoinflammatory diseases remains relevant. In-depth understanding of etiopathogenetic mechanisms of immunoinflammatory processes will allow to develop new approaches in the treatment of patients with uveitis.
Article
Topic To determine the cumulative incidence and features of glaucoma in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) syndrome patients compared to non-glaucoma patients. Clinical relevance Knowing the exact burden of secondary glaucoma in VKH could guide its screening and management in clinical practice as a part of the regular follow-up for VKH patients. Methods The review protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO [CRD42023462794]. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar were searched for studies reporting the cumulative incidence and features of glaucoma presentation in VKH. A manual search was also conducted to supplement the primary search. Subgroup analyses based on glaucoma type, VKH stage, and patients’ age were conducted. All analyses were conducted using STATA. Fixed- and random-effects models were selected according to the observed heterogeneity. Studies’ methodological quality was determined using the NIH tool. Results The analysis of 7084 eyes revealed a progressive increase in the cumulative incidence of secondary glaucoma over time. The cumulative incidence was lowest at VKH onset (7%) and highest at 15 years (26%). Open-angle (12%; 95%CI: 9-14%) is more common than angle-closure glaucoma (7%; 95%CI: 3-13%). Glaucoma cumulative incidence is highest in the chronic recurrent stage of VKH (33%; 95%CI: 12-59%) and among children <18 years of age (26%; 95%CI: 16-37%). Features associated with glaucoma occurrence in VKH showed comparable rates to non-glaucoma cases. However, a meta-analysis to determine risk factors of glaucoma development in VKH was not feasible secondary to the lack of adjusted risk measures in included studies. Studies' quality was questionable in 5 studies. The certainty of evidence was moderate-to-high. Conclusion The cumulative incidence of glaucoma increases throughout VKH’s course, with a higher tendency in children, chronic recurrent stages, and long-term follow-up. Future research should focus on examining risk factors of glaucoma development in VKH through adjusted multivariable regression models.
Article
Purpose To describe the demographic pattern, clinical characteristics, treatment modalities, and visual outcome in Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH) disease patients observed at a tertiary eye care centre in South India. Methods A prospective chart analysis of 38 patients with VKH disease. Results Of the 38 VKH patients, 31 (81.6%) were female, the mean age was 39.8 years, and the median duration of symptoms was 10 days (range: 2 to 180 days). The most common ocular complaint was a defective vision (70 eyes or 92.1%). Extraocular manifestations were headache (13 patients or 34.2%) and tinnitus (4 patients or 10.5%). Twenty-four patients (63.2%) presented with bilateral panuveitis, and 12 patients (31.6%) had posterior uveitis. The most common posterior segment presentation included bilateral serous retinal detachment (100%), disc oedema (37 eyes or 48.7%), and vitritis (31 eyes or 40.8%). All patients (100%) were treated with oral and topical prednisolone, based on the ocular inflammation status, 9 patients (23.7%) required dexamethasone (intramuscular), 39 eyes (51.3%) required posterior subtenon triamcinolone, 16 patients (28.9%) required methotrexate, 1 (2.6%) required cyclophosphamide, 1 (2.6%) required azathioprine. At the final visit, the majority of the patients had statistically significant good visual outcomes. Conclusion Prompt diagnosis and early initiation of treatment with systemic, local steroid and immunosuppressive therapy showed faster recovery with good visual outcome.
Article
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Purpose: To report a case of a 20-year-old female with decreased visual acuity (VA) in the left eye (LE). Methods: This is a retrospective and descriptive case report based on data from clinical records, patient observation and analysis of diagnostic tests. Results: A 20-year-old female presented with decreased VA in the LE for 3 days. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/20 in the right eye (RE) and 20/40 in the LE. Pupillary function, intraocular pressure, results of external segment examinations and slit-lamp biomicroscopy were normal, bilaterally. RE fundoscopy was normal, and in the LE it revealed papillitis and posterior pole exudative retinal detachment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed the macular serous retinal detachment and showed thickening of the posterior choroid also revealed by orbital ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fluorescein angiography showed angiographic features typical of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease: disseminated spotted choroidal hyperfluorescence and choroidal multifocal hypofluorescence, multifocal profuse leakage in the retina with pooling, serous retinal detachment and optic disc hyperfluorescence. Serological testing for the diagnosis of infectious pathologies was negative, and the review of systems was normal. The patient received systemic steroids and cyclosporine. LE BCVA improved up to 20/20 at 18 months after the diagnosis, with complete reabsorption of subretinal fluid and normal retinal and choroidal thickness by OCT. Conclusion: Despite the unilateral involvement, the clinical and angiographic features were typical of VKH disease, and ophthalmologists should be aware to recognize this rare clinical variant of the disease.
Article
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Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease over a 12-year period. Methods: A retrospective chart review was used to identify VKH patients, from January 1999 to December 2011. Results: In total, 154 patients (308 eyes) were diagnosed with VKH. The mean age at diagnosis was 33.8 ± 13 years. Mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 20/125; (0.8 ± 0.6 logMAR). Recurrent episodes occurred in 107 (54%) patients. Oral prednisone was administered in all patients. At the last visit, the mean BCVA was 20/50 (0.4 ± 0.7 logMAR). The most common complications post-treatment were: glaucoma [104 (33.8%) eyes] and cataract [84 (27.2%) eyes]. Conclusions: In Saudi Arabia, VKH-related uveitis is predominant in young females. Bilateral panuveitis is the most common ocular manifestation and near 50% of eyes present with exudative retinal detachment. Oral prednisone was the primary treatment and the majority of eyes maintained 20/50 or better vision.
Article
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To compare the patterns of uveitis, emphasizing similarities and discrepancies, in the Middle East and Europe. Six articles reporting uveitis patterns from the Middle East including a total of 2,693 cases, and seven articles with a sum of 4,379 cases from Europe were analyzed and patterns in each region were defined and compared. In both regions, uveitis was most commonly seen in the fourth decade of life with anterior uveitis being the most common anatomical form. Idiopathic cases accounted for the majority of anterior and intermediate uveitis; toxoplasmosis was the most frequent entity in posterior uveitis while Behcet's disease and idiopathic forms were the next most common causes in the Middle East and in Europe, respectively. Since patterns of uveitis differ in various geographic regions, discovering these patterns would be helpful for the diagnosis and treatment of this broad category of conditions. This necessitates applying a universal diagnostic classification system to enable accurate comparisons.
Article
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Corticosteroids remain the mainstay of the management of patients with uveitis. Topical corticosteroids are effective in the control of anterior uveitis, but vary in strength, ocular penetration and side effect profile. Systemic corticosteroids are widely used for the management of posterior segment inflammation which requires treatment, particularly when it is associated with systemic disease or when bilateral ocular disease is present. However, when ocular inflammation is unilateral, or is active in one eye only, local therapy has considerable advantages, and periocular injections of corticosteroid are a useful alternative to systemic medication and are very effective in controlling mild or moderate intraocular inflammation. More recently, the injection of intraocular corticosteroids such as triamcinolone have been found to be effective in reducing macular oedema and improving vision in uveitic eyes which have proved refractory to systemic or periocular corticosteroids. The effect is usually transient, lasting around 3 months, but can be repeated although the side effects of cataract and raised intraocular pressure are increased in frequency with intraocular versus periocular corticosteroid injections. This has led to the development of new intraocular corticosteroid devices which are designed to deliver sustained-release drugs and obviate the need for systemic immunosuppressive treatment. The first such implant was Retisert, which is surgically implanted (in the operating theatre) and is designed to release fluocinolone over a period of about 30 months. More recently, Ozurdex, a 'bioerodible' dexamethasone implant which can be inserted in an office setting, has completed phase III clinical trials in patients with intermediate and posterior uveitis. This implant lasts approximately 6 months, and has been found to be effective with a much better side effect profile than Retisert or intravitreal triamcinolone injection, at least for one injection.
Article
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In this retrospective report, we present two cases of unilateral Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. These patients were evaluated with clinical, ophthalmological and laboratory examinations. Their response following corticosteroid administration was evaluated. Both patients had the characteristic clinical features of VKH involving only one eye, including disc edema, choroidal striae, multiple sub retinal yellow lesions and exudative retinal detachment. These cases indicate that the clinical and angiographic features were typical of VKH disease despite the unilateral involvement.
Article
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Unlabelled: Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada's syndrome is a rare disease that affects tissues containing melanocytes, such as the eyes, central nervous system, inner ear and skin. Some ethnic groups have a higher probability of developing the disease, including Asians, Indians and Latin Americans and females are affected more often. Methods: Literature was reviewed in books, articles published on the internet and papers available in the online databases MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO. Texts were selected that focused on otorhinolaryngological symptoms. Literature review: The disease probably has autoimmune etiology, with aggression occurring on the surface of melanocytes by promoting inflammatory reaction in which T lymphocytes predominate. The allele most often found in association with this disease is HLA DRB1*0405. Clinical manifestations are divided into four stages: prodromal, uveitic, chronic and recurrent. Otorhinolaryngological symptoms occur during the uveitic stage and are characterized by bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and vestibular symptoms. Diagnosis is made according to the diagnostic criteria for the disease. Treatment is primarily with corticosteroids. Conclusions: It is important that professionals in other specialties are able to recognize Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada’s syndrome, because late diagnosis can lead to ocular and cutaneous sequelae.
Article
Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH), a severe bilateral granulomatous intraocular inflammation associated with serous retinal detachments, disc edema, and vitritis, with eventual development of a sunset glow fundus, is an autoimmune inflammatory condition mediated by T cells that target melanocytes in individuals susceptible to the disease. VKH presents clinically in four different phases: prodromal, uveitic, convalescent, and recurrent, with extra-ocular manifestations including headache, meningismus, hearing loss, poliosis, and vitiligo, to varying degrees. There have been considerable advances in imaging modalities resulting in earlier diagnosis and improved understanding of this disease. Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) has replaced other imaging modalities in the diagnosis of acute and chronic VKH by revealing exudative detachments of the retina in the acute stage, along with choroidal thickening, and demonstrating choroidal thinning in the chronic stage. Treatment of this disease is initially with corticosteroids, with a transition to immunomodulatory drugs for long-term control. Patients with VKH can have good final outcomes if treated promptly and aggressively and thus avoid complications such as sunset glow fundus, cataracts, glaucoma, subretinal fibrosis, and choroidal neovascularization.
Article
Purpose of review: The purpose of this article is to review the current literature on Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease, including current treatment options and new research directions. Recent findings: Recent publications on VKH disease show an increased focus on the immunogenetics and immune pathways associated with the development of VKH disease. There have also been advances in imaging modalities and techniques that may help to better elucidate the disease process in eyes with VKH disease. Summary: VKH disease is an autoimmune, multisystem inflammatory disorder, the cause of which is still incompletely understood. Continued research may elucidate the causes and triggers of immune dysregulation in this disease, and in doing so, identify novel therapeutic targets.
Article
To investigate the effectiveness of isolated subtenon triamcinolone acetonide injection (STI) as a primary treatment in eyes with acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease. Retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study. The data from 27 eyes in 14 patients with acute VKH treated with STI therapy were analysed retrospectively. The time course change in ocular inflammation, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and numbers of recurrences were examined. STI led to prompt improvement of BCVA within a week after the primary treatment. After completing therapy, patients with VKH had improved BCVA compared with baseline. In six eyes of three patients (22.2%) treated with STI, ocular inflammation was refractory, or VKH was recurrent despite the treatment. There was significant difference between groups with and without recurrences of inflammation in the frequency of headaches before treatment. In the present study, 21 eyes of 11 patients (77.8%) achieved complete resolution of VKH without recurrence after STI therapy alone. This study demonstrated that isolated STI therapy is a useful, minimally invasive, primary treatment option for patients with acute VKH without systemic disorders. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
Article
To analyze clinical patterns, causes, and systemic disease associations among patients with uveitis admitted to King Abdulaziz University Hospital. The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 351 patients (600 eyes). The study subjects consisted of 183 (52.1%) males and 168 (47.9%) females, with a mean age of 39.9 ± 14.2 years at presentation. The most common anatomic diagnosis was panuveitis (68.6%), followed by posterior uveitis (12.7%), anterior uveitis (12.7%), and intermediate uveitis (6.0%). The most common identifiable specific diagnoses were presumed tuberculous uveitis (PTU) (28.2%), Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease (19.4%), Behçet disease (BD) (12.5%), and toxoplasmosis (8.2%). After a mean follow-up period of 29.5 ± 22.1 months, 63.5% of the eyes achieved visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Eyes from patients with PTU had the worst final visual outcome. The most common anatomic diagnosis was panuveitis. PTU, VKH disease, BD, and toxoplasmosis were the most frequent specific diagnoses.