Polymerase chain reaction confirmed mycobacterium tuberculosis intermediate uveitis - analysis of 22 eyes of 14 cases from a tertiary care centre in South India: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: To report the role of Polymerase Chain Reaction in confirming the diagnosis of presumed Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (MTB) Intermediate Uveitis. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 22 eyes of 14 cases of presumed tubercular intermediate uveitis wherein intraocular fluid was tested for MTB DNA by Nested & Real-time PCR, based on clinical suspicion of tubercular aetiology. QuantiFERON TB gold test and High-Resolution CT Chest were done. Patients were treated with anti-tubercular therapy with oral steroids & immunomodulators. In the study, eleven were male (79%) and three female (21%). The median age was 34 years. Nested PCR for both IS 6110 & MPB 64 was positive in 64% of the cases, IS 6110 positive in 23% and MPB 64 positive in 15%. Real-time PCR was positive in 48% of the cases. Vision improved in 33% of cases, maintained in 57%, and worsened in 10% of cases. CONCLUSION: Presumed Tubercular intermediate uveitis can be confirmed by PCR of intraocular fluids. Anti-tubercular therapy with immunosuppression can improve vision and prevent recurrences in such cases.

Prevalence, clinical profile, investigations, and visual outcome of sarcoid intermediate uveitis in a tertiary eye care center in South India.

Purpose: To report the prevalence, clinical profile, investigations, and visual outcomes of sarcoid intermediate uveitis in a tertiary eye care center in South India. Methods: Retrospective, observational case series. Records of 29 patients with sarcoid intermediate uveitis were retrieved. Complete ophthalmic evaluation and systemic examination by a pulmonologist with appropriate laboratory investigations were done. Results were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Mean age group was 42.14 ± 11.31 years. The bilateral presentation was more common and females were more affected than males. Anterior chamber cells and flares in 22.4% of cases (N = 11 eyes), posterior synechiae in 20.4% (N = 10 eyes), and both small and mutton fat keratic precipitates in 14.2% of cases (N = 7 eyes) were noted; only one eye had Busacca nodules similar to other granulomatous uveitis. Cystoid macular edemas were present in three eyes. Treatment with oral steroids and systemic immunosuppression resulted in good visual recovery. The mean presenting visual acuity in right and left eye were 0.2 and 0.3, respectively. The mean final visual acuity in right and left eye was 0.1 and 0.3, respectively. Conclusion: Sarcoid intermediate uveitis is quite common in a tuberculosis endemic country like India. A complete review of systems with appropriate investigations is essential to prevent visual complications.

Multiple evanescent white dot syndrome following SARS-CoV-2 infection - A case report.

To report a case of MEWDS post-COVID-19 infection with multimodal imaging. A 17-year-old boy reported blurring of vision in both eyes 2 months and 10 days following the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fundus examination revealed hypopigmented lesions nasal to the optic disc, inferior periphery, and near macula in both eyes. Multimodal imaging was consistent with MEWDS. A complete systemic workup was performed to exclude infectious etiology. Fundus lesions resolved with a course of oral corticosteroids and was confirmed on multimodal imaging.

Association of VEGFA promoter polymorphisms rs699947 and rs35569394 with diabetic retinopathy among North-Central Indian subjects: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is often described as the global pandemic of the 21st century with India emerging as its capital. Microvascular complications such as retinopathy associated with diabetes are a serious world health problem, leading to the already existing burden of blindness. The aim of this study was to determine whether VEGF gene polymorphisms rs35569394 and rs699947 are associated with DR in North Indians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: North Indian subjects, diabetic controls with no retinopathy (DR I, n = 51), subjects with diabetes with mild-moderate retinal changes (DR II, n = 50), and subjects with diabetes with severe retinopathy with/without retinal neovascularization (DR III, n = 55) were recruited for this study. Genotyping of the VEGF gene I/D polymorphism was done by PCR and C/A polymorphism by PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: DD-genotype was 2.73 times over expressed among DR III category (p = .02; OR: 2.73; 95% CI: 1.20-6.19) as compared to DR I category among male subgroup. C-allele (rs699947) had 1.66-times more exposure among DR III as compared to DR I (C vs. A allele; p = .063; OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 0.97-2.84), probably due to high linkage disequilibrium between both the polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our study support the hypothesis that D-allele and DD-genotype of rs35569394 have deleterious effect on the progression of DR. C-allele had skewed frequency towards DR III subjects owing to strong linkage disequilibrium between C-allele (rs699947) and D-allele (rs35569394).